Fatty Acids Polyunsaturated as Bioactive Compounds of Microalgae: Contribution to Human Health

Abstract

Microalgae (i.e. the prokaryotic cyanobacteria and the eukaryotic microalgae) are a wide diversity of microscopic unicellular organisms with the ability to convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis [1,2]. Moreover, this evolutionary and phylogenetic diversity means a great diversity from the point of view of the chemical composition of these organisms. Thus, this makes them extremely attractive for potential exploitation and bioprospecting as commercial sources of a wide range of biomolecules (Table 1) [2].