One way to improve the bioeconomy is by adding microalgae, such as biomass, to animal feed, which can potentially enhance animal health and nutrition by releasing bioactive molecules in the intestinal tract. The digestibility of Chlorella vulgaris and its impact on the overall digestibility and biobased impact of broiler feed represent a first step in assessing its characteristics as a feed supplement. Various methods can be used to increase the digestibility of the algae. Methods such as pulsed electric fields (PEF) and freezing were assessed to disrupt autotrophic (A) and heterotrophic (H) Chlorella vulgaris cells to increase their availability and impact, followed by in vivo trials. Pulsed electric fields were shown to have disruption efficiencies of 83.90% and 79.20% for heterotrophic and autotrophic C. vulgaris, respectively, demonstrating significant biobased impact.
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