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Protein-enriched ketchup gets boost from algae extracts
Added protein is showing up in foods from breakfast cereal to pasta, but not many condiments … yet. Researchers have now developed an enriched tomato ketchup by incorporating protein extracted from algae. A panel of taste testers preferred recipes containing up to 3% added algal extract, saying the samples maintained the sweet, tangy taste and reddish appearance expected of the condiment.
"We wanted to improve the nutritional value of a widely consumed condiment using a sustainable protein source," says Parise Adadi, the corresponding author of the study published in ACS Food Science & Technology. "Ketchup is familiar, shelf-stable and suitable for incorporating functional ingredients."
Although many protein-added foods get their enrichment from whey, pea or soy sources, Adadi and colleagues wanted to try a potentially more sustainable alternative: microalgae that are rich in protein. "Chlorella vulgaris can be cultivated rapidly throughout the year using comparatively little land and freshwater, making it a potentially more resource-efficient protein source than many terrestrial crops," says Adadi.
Previously, another research team incorporated algal proteins into vegan seafood mimics, where the microalgae's fishy taste complemented the squid-ring analogs that they 3D-printed and deep-fried. For ketchup, the challenge was adding algal protein in a way that wouldn't change the condiment's distinct flavor.
The researchers accomplished this by extracting proteins from C. vulgaris. Then they developed ketchup recipes containing 1% to 13% algal protein along with typical ingredients such as plum tomatoes, sugar, salt, vinegar, spices and citric acid. After they bottled and pasteurized the ketchup samples, including a plain ketchup with no added algae, a panel of 15 people tasted them. The panelists shared that:
- Samples with 1% and 3% added protein retained the familiar sweet, tangy and mildly spiced flavor and had only a subtle algal note.
- At 5% and 13% added protein, the algal taste and greenish color became more noticeable, reducing the samples' acceptability despite the higher protein content.
In addition, compared with the plain ketchup, the samples with 3% and 5% algal extracts contained two to three times more protein, as well as higher amounts of essential amino acids, minerals—particularly sodium and iron—and antioxidants.
These results suggest that a moderate addition of algal protein could appeal to consumers and enhance nutritional value. The researchers' future work will include larger consumer studies, shelf-life tests and product development at commercial scales.
More information
Jonas Kambele et al, Physicochemical, Nutritional, Microbial, Sensory, and Antinutritional Evaluation of Tomato Ketchup Fortified with Chlorella vulgaris Protein Isolates, ACS Food Science & Technology (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.6c00450
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Citation: Protein-enriched ketchup gets boost from algae extracts (2026, August 7) retrieved 7 August 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-08-protein-enriched-ketchup-boost-algae.html
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