Ten billion people could live up to the middle of the century on the earth, food and energy consume.
Oil and arable land scarce areas, until then – the question of alternative raw materials is therefore becoming more pressing.
For about 20 years, humanity has time to find suitable Alternatives to conventional sources of food and energy, estimates Carola Griehl of the University of applied science Anhalt.
In microalgae, the scientist sees a promising Option: “algae are multi-talented.”
Research on micro-algae
The biochemist is head of the algae competence centre of the University and conducts research with your Team, especially micro-algae, single-celled organisms which occur almost everywhere.
The researchers are not content with essays and other memoirs: you want to make your research as it is for a University of applied science – usable.
“The special feature of our location is that we have a root collection, and laboratories for the cultivation of the algae, but also a pilot plant,” explains the Professor.
“So that we can transfer the scientific results into industrial practice.”
A good raw material alone is not enough but says Griehl. We must also develop products that work on the market, to create real Alternatives.
From basic research on the breeding and processing of the algae to product development, production and marketing of seaweed products everything happens, therefore, in the premises of the school in Köthen and Bernburg.
Experiments in the field of nutrition
Cookies and ice cream you’ve made from algae already.
At Green week, the researchers now show but, of all things, two culinary sanctuaries of the Germans, the versatility of algae are not alone in the field of nutrition can be used: With blue, beer, blue, bread, the University in Saxony-Anhalt-day want to convince on Monday, the Public of the tiny miracle cells.
The bread developed three Nutritional students in a practice Seminar. A Baker from Barleben was approached after the Green week in 2019, with the idea of a blue bread, to the University.
The students around them took on the case, tried in the spring and summer with the algae, and a developed piece for a piece of a recipe for a sourdough bread and a Baguette.
Already the tip of a knife a from the micro-algae Spirulina-derived dye is enough to color a whole bread gaudy green blue.
The blue beer was originally intended only as a Gag. Griehl and her colleagues wanted to surprise guests at an information event.
The also Spirulina blued brew the exact recipe remains the secret of the College – was then so well that the algae-brewed researcher.
In January alone, Griehl has already achieved two requests over several hundred liters of the by the researchers of the “Real Ocean Blue” baptized beverage. But you can brew constantly, otherwise, research and teaching would be too short, says Griehl.
Since the capacity in the high-school brewery limited. The seaweed centre is already in contact with a brewery to produce larger quantities.
Micro-algae have great potential
“We want to install the progress that we have developed at the Anhalt University of applied Sciences, also here in the Region of economically,” says Griehl.
The scientist looks at the time the algae is slowly, but surely come: “the time is Now for this, definitely more Mature than 20 years ago. People are thinking more environmentally conscious, many young people are adopting a vegetarian diet.”
However, microalgae are far more than just vegetarian: The tens of thousands of different species contain many different ingredients, from which food, medicines, or plastics can develop.
They grow 15 – to 20-times faster than most plants and need very little space.
The Anhalt University of applied Sciences cultivates its algae in bioreactors, which are reminiscent of the shape of fir trees: – Transparent tubes through which the algae flows containing water, wrap around a conical structure.
The protozoa can use, so that the incident light optimally.
In just 14 days, a whole Batch of muddy biomass grows from a few algal cells, water, light and CO2. The is then dried with hot air and is as a fine, green powder ready for further processing.
For the supply of the masses with food, fuel, or plastic, the plant of the University is not enough. This year, in Saxony, is to be built-Anhalt, but a Farm for mass production.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)
*The contribution of “Blue bread and beer: food from micro-algae the future?” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.