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Would you dip a chip in algae-enriched ketchup? According to new research, adding microalgae protein to the iconic red (or should that be green?) sauce could boost its nutritional value in a sustainable and tasty way.
Following in the footsteps of plastic cookies and meaty lettuce, this latest instalment of our (unofficial) ‘unexpected ingredients’ series features a classic condiment as you’ve never seen it before. Scientists from the Ural Federal University (Yekaterinburg, Russia) and the University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand) have fortified tomato ketchup with the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, increasing its protein content and enhancing essential amino acids and antioxidant activity, without compromising flavor.
Engineering foods to improve their nutritional quality is becoming more and more important, in a bid to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and reduce diet-related noncommunicable diseases. Protein, for example, is typically bolstered by adding whey, pea or soy sources; however, microalgae may offer a more sustainable alternative.
“Chlorella vulgaris can be cultivated rapidly throughout the year using comparatively little land and freshwater, making it a potentially more resource-efficient protein source than many terrestrial crops,” explained the study’s corresponding author Parise Adadi (University of Otago).
This alga is also rich in high-quality protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds, making it an ideal choice for fortifying foods. In this case, Adadi and colleagues chose ketchup, a widely consumed condiment that, in Adadi’s own words, is “familiar, shelf-stable and suitable for incorporating functional ingredients.”
Researchers successfully generate hybrid ‘meat-rice’ by culturing animal cells in rice grains, increasing the nutritional value of rice.
Previously, a separate team incorporated algae proteins into 3D-printed vegan seafood mimics, leaning on the microalgae’s distinct fishiness for a more authentic flavor. This taste would not be an appetizing addition to ketchup, though; so the researchers behind the current work set about introducing algal protein in a way that didn’t detract from the sauce’s traditional tomatoey tang.
[IMAGE] Tomato ketchup recipes that contain 3% (left) and 5% (right) algal protein. Credit: Adapted from ACS Food Science & Technology 2026, DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.6c00450
They began by extracting protein isolates from C. vulgaris via isoelectric precipitation, and dried them using either oven drying or vacuum drying. These were then developed into ketchup recipes containing between 1% and 13% algal protein, which were assessed for a number of factors, including antioxidant activity, mineral content, microbial quality and sensory acceptability.
In sauces supplemented with algae, protein content increased from 1.6% in the plain ketchup control to 6.3% in the 13% formulation. At the same time, the essential amino acids leucine, lysine, valine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and threonine were enriched and potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and iron contents were also improved. Similarly, antioxidant activity increased with C. vulgaris protein inclusion, while antinutritional factors and microbial counts remained within safe limits.
Sensory evaluation by a panel of 15 people showed that 3–5% algal protein incorporation maintained acceptable quality and tasted conventionally ketchup-y. However, above 5%, the algal flavor and green color became more prominent.
“These findings demonstrate the potential of [algal proteins] as sustainable ingredients for developing protein-enriched functional condiments,” the researchers conclude.
More work is needed until we’re squirting algae ketchup onto our hot dogs, but the team hopes that with further product development and larger consumer studies and shelf-life tests, the quirky condiment could make its way to our plates in the not-too-distant future.
The post It has to be… algae? New protein-packed ketchup has a surprising green twist appeared first on BioTechniques.
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