The Recent Advanced in Microalgal Phytosterols: Bioactive Ingredients Along With Human-Health Driven Potential Applications

It is noteworthy that phytosterol bioactivities are benefit for human health, promoting their interest to be used in the formulation of enriched and/or functional food ingredients. With the growing phytosterols market for food, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics, new sources than higher plants-related ones are needed, also to allow a sustainable and eco-friendly production. Microalgae fill the requisite to become a new asset for the development of food complements or nutraceuticals. The aim of this study is to update and integrate the knowledge on microalgal phytosterols – content, chemodiversity, bioactivity, biosynthetic pathway – and discussing the interests and challenges offered by microalgae-derived phytosterols for biotechnological applications as bioactive ingredients for functional foods. Generally, the content of phytosterols in microalgae is higher than in higher plants, enhancing the interest of these organisms as cell bio-factories of bioactive compounds for human consumption. However, it is important to fill the gap of knowledge on the phytosterol chemical diversity and distribution of microalgae. A first attempt in comparing the distribution of key enzymes involved in phytosterol biosynthetic pathways in the microalgal realm highlighted some phylogenetic differences and a notable discrimination between cyanophytes and eukaryotic microalgae.