EU project to scale 10 microalgae solutions for food and packaging

The EU-funded Multiply project has entered a new phase of industrial scaling, uniting 17 partners to bring 10 microalgae-derived products — ranging from natural food colours to recyclable barrier coatings — to the mass market.

As the food industry faces intensifying pressure to reduce its reliance on fossil-based and land-intensive raw materials, the Multiply initiative (funded by Horizon Europe) is positioning microalgae as a high-performance alternative. The project focuses on five specific species — including Spirulina and Tetraselmis — to create a “cascading” bio-refinery model where every part of the algae is utilised for high-value food, feed, and packaging ingredients.

A critical breakthrough for food manufacturers lies in the development of recyclable barrier coatings for paper packaging. Led by the plastics technology centre AIMPLAS, the project is formulating algae-based coatings with high water and grease resistance. Operationally, this offers a direct replacement for traditional paper/polyethylene (PE) multilayer structures, which are notoriously difficult to recycle, thereby simplifying waste stream management for retailers and brands.

The launch aligns with the growing “Blue Economy” trend, where marine-based resources are leveraged to meet the demand for natural, protein-rich ingredients and sustainable colorants. By replacing synthetic additives with algae-derived proteins and pigments, the project taps into the multi-billion dollar clean-label market, providing functional ingredients that carry a lower carbon and water footprint than traditional agricultural crops.

“Our approach is summed up by the idea that microalgae will drive a circular future,” says Marta Paiva, Multiply project coordinator at A4F. “We are not just looking at lab results; we are focused on specific sectors where algae can realistically replace conventional ingredients, backed by data on performance, sustainability, and scalability.”

Miguel Martínez, project manager at Cetaqua, emphasises the circularity of the production itself: “With nutrient recovery from wastewater, we are demonstrating that we can reduce dependence on conventional fertilisers, advancing toward a production model where ‘waste’ becomes a source of resources for the food chain.”