Next Frontiers in the Development of Meat Analogues Through the Integration of Microalgae as Structural, Flavoring, and Coloring Agents

A dietary shift towards meat analogues is an effective strategy for mitigating foodrelated climate change and biodiversity loss. Plant-based meat analogues have rapidly gained traction under the new protein economy, but a lack of fibrous structure and prominent beany flavor restricts their customer acceptability. These disadvantages prompt the investigation of edible microalgae as an alternative. Although edible microalgae have emerged as a promising candidate due to their high protein content and exceptional biochemical composition, a comprehensive assessment of their role as texturizing, flavoring, and coloring agents in meat analogue production remains limited. Therefore, this narrative review (comprising peer-reviewed articles and institutional reports from the last three to eight years) provides a fledgling vision for the utilization of potential microalgal species (Spirulina, Chlorella, Haematococcus pluvialis, D. salina, Porphyridium cruentrum, and Tetraselmis chuii etc.) in the development of meat analogues. Microalgae offer notable functional advantages, as their incorporation into plant-protein matrices enhances textural attributes such as hardness, chewiness, and resilience, while species like T. chuii and P. cruentrum impart fish-like aromas. H. pluvialis and chlorophyll- deficient Chlorella strains contributed to beef- and chicken-like coloration. Integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies into process design offers the possibility to revolutionize this field by helping in developing new food formulations with better visual and sensorial aesthetics. Despite all advances, the industrial inclusion of algal meat analogues is restricted by high production costs, safety concerns, and low consumer acceptability. Policy interventions, strategic marketing, and algae-specific consumer awareness campaigns are the key to broaden acceptability of these novel food products.