Siti Nur Hazwani Oslan, Ng Jia Xuan, Fikri Akmal Khodzori, Bibi Nabihah Abdul Hakim, Nurul Huda, Norliza Julmohamad, Noora Barzkar
The growing demand for functional foods and nutraceuticals has increased interest in natural bioactive compounds for their health-promoting potential. Microalgae have emerged as promising and sustainable sources of bioactive compounds, encompassing primary and secondary metabolites rich in proteins, lipids, pigments, and polysaccharides with diverse functional properties. These compounds demonstrate a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. Owing to their multifunctional composition, microalgae represent valuable natural sources of functional ingredients and colorants for food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications. Furthermore, human studies increasingly support the beneficial role of microalgae supplementation in disease prevention and overall wellness. Addressing current production challenges will further enhance their large-scale utilization and contribution toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review summarizes recent advances in the characterization of bioactive compounds from microalgae and their applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.
Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, 88400, Malaysia; Food Security Research Laboratory, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, 88400, Malaysia; Higher Institution Centers of Excellence, Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, 88400, Malaysia; Department of Wellness, Faculty Hospitality, Tourism and Wellness, University Malaysia Kelantan City Campus, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan, Kota Bharu, 16100, Malaysia; Postgraduated School, Universitas Brawijaya, East Java, Malang, 65145, Indonesia
