Biochemical and Nutritional Evaluation of Chlorella and Auxenochlorella Biomasses Relevant for Food Application

Microalgae are a source of potentially healthy and sustainable nutrients. However, the bioaccessibility of these nutrients remains uncertain. In this study, we analyzed the biomass composition of five commercial Chlorella and Auxenochlorella strains, and Chlorella vulgaris heterotrophically cultivated in our laboratory. Protein accounted for 65 ± 3% (w w−1) dry matter (DM) in all biomasses, except for the lab-grown C. vulgaris that contained 20% (w w−1) DM protein. The fatty acids content was comparable and ranged between 7 and 10% (w w−1) DM. Most of the biomasses had a ω6-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)/ω3-PUFAs ratio