Due to its abundance and nutrient-rich profile, the green macroalga Ulva rigida is a species with enormous potential as a protein source for fish feed. To overcome the poor bioaccessibility of this algal protein due to its association to polysaccharides like ulvan, researchers led by Teresa Cesário and Marília Mateus of iBB-2BRG, in collaboration with teams from IPMA and CIIMAR (Porto), devised a process combining hydrolysis of the carbohydrate fraction to subsequent fermentation with yeast and/or a lactic acid bacteria consortium. The obtained fermentation broths showed increased antioxidant properties and 11- to 12-fold higher protein bioaccessibility when compared to the raw alga, highlighting the promise of these starter cultures in sustainable fish feed production. This work has just been published in Marine Drugs and was developed in the framework of project SmartSeaweed (Fundo Azul – DGPM). See more.