Despite all the investment, there is still some way to go before microalgae become a daily part of our diet.
According to Mr Munch Schmidt-Jensen, this still requires considerable development.
He notes that the texture lacks firmness. At the same time, the taste can be “fishy” if the algae is a marine type.
“But there are ways to overcome it,” he adds.
There is also a public issue.
“Are people ready for this? How do you make everyone want to eat it?”
Malene Lihme Olsen, a food scientist at the University of Copenhagen who studies microalgae, says their nutritional value needs more research.
“Green microalgae (chlorella) have a very strong cell wall, so it can be difficult for us to digest and get all the nutrients,” she says.
For now, she says, microalgae are best added to other “carrier foods” such as pasta or bread to improve taste, texture and appearance.
However, Ms. Olsen believes that microalgae are a promising food of the future.
“If you compare one hectare of soybeans in Brazil and imagine if we had one hectare of algae, you could produce 15 times more protein per year (from algae).”
