Microalgae-derived compositions for improving the health and appearance of skin

A particulate gel-forming composition, the composition produced by the process of:

• extracting, from a microalgal cell culture medium a microalgal exopolysaccharide secreted by microalgal cells into the culture medium, wherein the microalgal cells are selected from the group consisting of Porphyridium, Chaetoceros, Chlorella, Dunaliella, Isochrysis, Phaeodactylum, Tetraselmis, Botryococcus, Chlorococcum, Hormotilopsis, Neochloris, Ochromonas, Gyrodinium, Ellipsoidion, Rhodella, Gymnodinium, Spirulina, Cochlodinium, Nostoc, Cyanospira, Cyanothece, Tetraselmis, Chlamydomonas, Dysmorphococcus, Anabaena, Palmella, Anacystis, Phormidium, Anabaenopsis, Aphanocapsa, Cylindrotheca, Navicula, Gloeocapsa, Phaeocystis, Leptolyngbya, Symploca, Synechocystis, Stauroneis, and Achnanthes;
• drying the extracted microalgal exopolysaccharide to form a film;
• heating the extracted microalgal exopolysaccharide at a temperature in a range from 135° C. to 152° C.;
• and
• generating the particulate gel-forming composition having an average size of between 0.1 to 400 microns,
• wherein the particulate gel-forming composition comprises the heated exopolysaccharide and increases in volume on contact with water by at least 200% so as to form a gel.