ABSTRACT
Nowadays, there is an ever-increasing demand for new functional foods. This is due to the fact that consumers are becoming more conscious of the food they eat and its impact on their health. As a result, the food industry is actively prospecting for new functional food products to meet the demands of this niche market. Moreover, the feed industry has also garnered an interest in the research and development of functional feeds which can benefit the nutritional requirements and health of livestock animals. Algae are known to have various beneficial health-promoting properties such as reducing glycemic responses and colon cancer, significantly increasing stool volume and promote growth and protection of beneficial intestinal flora that can be exploited in the design and development of novel functional foods and feeds. This chapter starts with a general overview of macro- and microalgae, with reduced mention of specific algal species from the Mascarene Islands. It is then followed by an elaboration of the different biochemical constituents in 208macro- and microalgae, such as polysaccharides, amino acids and proteins, lipids, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants coupled with documentation of their health benefits. Finally, the advantages of algal-based ingredients to the food and feed sector are discussed.
