Research / ERAF
ERAF · ALGAE2HEALTH
Oat-hull bioconversion with microalgae to develop ingredients with potential immunomodulatory properties.
Official project title
No biomasas uz cilvēku veselību: auzu sēnalu biokonversija ar mikroaļģēm savienojumu ar imunomodulējošām īpašībām producēšanai. (ALGAE2HEALTH)
Research objective
The project brings together industrial research across disciplines to develop an integrated, waste-free oat-hull biorefinery process using microalgal bioconversion. Target ingredient streams include xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
The research supports the development of high-value products from renewable agricultural residues and contributes to the knowledge-based bioeconomy.
Partners and Biorefic’s role
The University of Latvia leads the project in collaboration with SIA Biorefic and SIA Rāmkalni Nordeco.
Biorefic develops and optimises processes for producing prebiotic XOS and substrates for microalgae cultivation from oat-hull hydrolysates.
Rāmkalni Nordeco tests the stability of the multifunctional ingredients in real food products and their effects on functional properties.
Project leader: Dr. biol. Armands Vīgants, University of Latvia, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology.
Administrative project manager: Laureta Buševica, laureta.busevica@lu.lv.
Planned outcomes
- A technology prototype for microalgal biomass production with high omega-3 and antioxidant content using oat-hull hydrolysate substrates (TRL 4).
- A multifunctional product prototype combining XOS and microalgae-derived bioactive ingredients (TRL 4).
- One intellectual-property licensing agreement.
- Four scientific publications in journals or conference proceedings indexed in Scopus or Web of Science.
Project and funding
- Programme
- 1.1.1.3. Praktiskas ievirzes pētījumi, 1. kārta
- Agreement number
- 1.1.1.3/1./24/A/133
- Project period
- July 2025 – June 2028 (36 months)
- Total funding
- €656,455.13
- ERAF funding
- €510,065.65
- State budget funding
- €89,934.35
- Private eligible costs
- €56,455.13
Research progress
July – September 2025
Initial microalgae strain screening and cultivation trials began. Biorefic developed sieving protocols, carried out initial oat-hull fractionation tests and prepared steam-explosion pretreatment protocols. Extracts and oat-hull fractions were supplied to the University of Latvia for further analysis, alongside an assessment of inhibitor-removal methods.
October – December 2025
Work covered steam-explosion process optimisation, XOS/xylan analysis, pH neutralisation and validation of oat-hull hydrolysates as a carbon source. Microalgae cultivation and substrate prefermentation studies progressed, and development of food applications for XOS-containing hydrolysates began.
January – March 2026
Biorefic investigated spray drying and compared it with freeze drying, including extract quality, stability and physical properties. Work continued on pH adjustment and inhibitor reduction. Microalgae cultivation conditions and biomass composition were investigated, and several XOS-containing ice-cream formulations were developed.
Read the full Latvian project updates >>Funding and project partners
