Two US-based companies, Spotlight Foods and Algae Cooking Club, have launched microalgae-based cooking oil products, World Bio Market Insights reported.
Produced via a fermentation process, both products had been awarded the Seed Oil Free Certified seal following independent laboratory testing by third-party certifying organisation the Seed Oil Free Alliance, the 16 August report said.
The production process involves feeding plant-based sugars from sugarcane to microalgae in large tanks, which are then converted into an edible oil, according to the report.
“The result is a neutral-tasting cooking oil high in monounsaturated omega-9 fats and low in omega-6 fats,” Spotlight Foods’ sustainability scientist Kevin Ward was quoted as saying.
According to the companies, the algae oil has a lower environmental footprint than many seed oils and does not require blending.
The production of algae-derived cooking oils could help reduce the environmental impact of traditional seed oil production, Seed Oil Free Alliance CEO Jonathan Rubin was quoted as saying.
Restaurants including Florida’s Garden Butcher had made the switch to algae oil, the report said.
The Seed Oil Free Alliance promotes the availability of seed-oil-free food options.
