A growing global population, combined with factors such as changing socio-demographics, will place increased pressure on the world’s resources to provide not only more but also different types of food. Increased demand for animal-based protein in particular is expected to have a negative environmental impact, generating greenhouse gas emissions, requiring more water and more land. Addressing this “perfect storm” will necessitate more sustainable production of existing sources of protein as well as alternative sources for direct human consumption. This paper outlines some potential demand scenarios and provides an overview of selected existing and novel protein sources in terms of their potential to sustainably deliver protein for the future, considering drivers and challenges relating to nutritional, environmental, and technological and market/consumer domains. It concludes that different factors influence the potential of existing and novel sources. Existing protein sources are primarily hindered by their negative environmental impacts with some concerns around health. However, they offer social and economic benefits, and have a high level of consumer acceptance. Furthermore, recent research emphasizes the role of livestock as part of the solution to greenhouse gas emissions, and indicates that animal-based protein has an important role as part of a sustainable diet and as a contributor to food security. Novel proteins require the development of new value chains, and attention to issues such as production costs, food safety, scalability and consumer acceptance. Furthermore, positive environmental impacts cannot be assumed with novel protein sources and care must be taken to ensure that comparisons between novel and existing protein sources are valid. Greater alignment of political forces, and the involvement of wider stakeholders in a governance role, as well as development/commercialization role, is required to address both sources of protein and ensure food security.

Population growth combined with increasingly limited resources of arable land and fresh water has resulted in a need for alternative protein sources. Macroalgae (seaweed) and microalgae are examples of under-exploited “crops”. Algae do not compete with traditional food crops for space and resources. This review details the characteristics of commonly consumed algae, as well as their potential for use as a protein source based on their protein quality, amino acid composition, and digestibility. Protein extraction methods applied to algae to date, including enzymatic hydrolysis, physical processes, and chemical extraction and novel methods such as ultrasound-assisted extraction, pulsed electric field, and microwave-assisted extraction are discussed. Moreover, existing protein enrichment methods used in the dairy industry and the potential of these methods to generate high value ingredients from algae, such as bioactive peptides and functional ingredients are discussed. Applications of algae in human nutrition, animal feed, and aquaculture are examined.

In order to determine the quantity of protein in food, it is important to have standardized analytical methods. Several methods exist that are used in different food industries to quantify protein content, including the Kjeldahl, Lowry, Bradford and total amino acid content methods. The correct determination of the protein content of foods is important as, often, as is the case with milk, it determines the economic value of the food product and it can impact the economic feasibility of new industries for alternative protein production. This editorial provides an overview of different protein determination methods and describes their advantages and disadvantages.

Cereal and plant proteins are used frequently in the manufacture of animal, fish, and human food products but are often deficient in essential amino acids. In contrast, macroalgal proteins contain all the essential amino acids and are a rich source of other bioactives, including taurine, lipids, carotenoids, and pigments. Furthermore, macroalgal proteins are a substrate for bioactive peptides generation. This paper discusses macroalgal bioactives and their potential use in fish, animal, and human nutrition and health. Issues including their safe use, sustainability of supply, efficient drying and processing methods, and novel extraction technologies are discussed, as well as legislation issues.