Microalgae in Food Science: Applications of Omics Approaches for Functional Ingredients, Safety, and Health

Microalgae are increasingly recognized as sustainable and multifunctional bioresources for food and nutraceutical applications due to their high biomass productivity, limited land requirements, and rich content of proteins, lipids, pigments, and bioactive compounds. Although several species, including Arthrospira and Chlorella, have a long history of human consumption, large-scale incorporation of microalgae into mainstream food systems remains constrained by strain heterogeneity, sensory limitations, bioavailability challenges, safety concerns, and techno-functional inconsistencies. This critical review examines recent progress in applying omics technologies-genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics-to systematically address these barriers. Omics-based approaches enable mechanistic understanding of metabolic regulation, bioactive compound biosynthesis, stress adaptation, allergenicity, and nutrient digestibility, thereby supporting rational strain selection, targeted processing strategies, and molecular-level safety assessment. Evidence linking multi-omics data to food formulation challenges demonstrates how sensory optimization, functional performance, and nutritional efficacy can be predicted and improved. The review further integrates current knowledge on the health-promoting effects of microalgal biomolecules, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory activities, alongside life cycle assessment outcomes that contextualize environmental sustainability and circular bioeconomy potential. By synthesizing technological, biological, and environmental perspectives, this review highlights multi-omics as a critical enabling toolkit for translating microalgae from laboratory-scale innovation into safe, functional, and commercially viable food ingredients aligned with global sustainability goals.