DiscoveringEurope’sSeaweeds
A guide to the most common non-novel species and their practical use in the food industry
Thisguideisbasedonextensiveliteraturereviewperformedduringtheprofessional oriented scientific research project (PWO) Zeewier op Zwier by the research group FoodProcessingoftheVIVESUniversitycollege
The content within this guide is provided for free use and may be utilized, referenced,andsharedforeducationalandinformationalpurposes However,ifyou wishtoreproduceordirectlycopysubstantialportionsofthisguide,orifyouplanto distributeitasawholeinanyformat,pleaseseekpermissionfromVIVESfirst. contactinformation:kaat.vanhegen@vives.be
Vanhegen,K.;DeVlieger,L.&Vanherpe,I. (2024).DiscoveringEurope’sSeaweeds:A Guide to the most common Non-Novel Species and their practical use in the Food industry
Introduction
The first part of this seaweed guide provides an overview of the current landscape, challenges, and opportunities in the European seaweed market, covering aspects such as the supply chain, novel foods, and food safety. Drawingfromanextensiveliteraturereview,wesummarisedthemainnutritonal and technofunctional characteristics of different types of seaweeds, as well as some practical use cases. In the second part, the guide offers detailed information sheets for 12 commonly used, non-novel seaweed species. These sheetsincludedetailsonseasonality,locality,andsensoryandtechnofunctional properties,designedtohelpseaweedproducersandprocessorsselectthemost suitable species for their products. Additionally, a comprehensive table summarizingthenutritionalprofilesofthese12seaweedspeciesisprovided
TheEuropeanSeaweedmarket
OntheEuropeanAtlanticcoast,macroalgaehavebeenharvestedbycoastalpopulationsfor manycenturiesThefirstrecordsofcommercialusedatebackasearlyasthe17thcentury
The EU is one of the biggest importers of seaweed products globally, and the demand is expectedtoreach€9billionin2030,especiallyinfood,cosmetics,pharmaceuticals,andenergy production.Seaweedfarmingandharvestingarestillverysmall-scaleinEurope,andthereare manystart-upsthatarenotyetcommerciallyoperational.Atotalof300.000tonnesoffresh seaweedisproducedinEurope,withamarketvalueof$102billion Europeisresponsiblefor approx 10%oftheglobalseaweedmarket(Valgorize,2021) Thereareabout163macroalgae producingcompaniesinEurope,withFrance,IrelandandSpainbeingthetopthreewithmore than 20 registered companies each. Most production takes place in the North Atlantic, while therearefewproductionsitesintheMediterranean.
Morethantwo-thirdsofthefarmsharvestwildstocksfromtheshoreline,85%ofthemmanually and 15% mechanically. Aquaculture production of macroalgae represents only 32% of the productionmethodusedbyEuropeancompanies.Mostmacroalgaeaquaculturetakesplace atsea(76%)andtheexpansionpotentialofcultivationatseaisexpectedtobesignificantly higherthanthatonland(Araújoetal,2021) Saccharinaspp,Ulvaspp andLaminariaspp are themostcommonlyproducedseaweedgenuses(EUComission,2022)
Databaseofseaweedorganisations
The Phyconomy database currently contains extensive information about more than 1300 organisationsintheglobalseaweedindustry.WiththisdatabasePhyconomywantstoimprove theflowofinformationwithinthevaluechainandbetweenacademia,business,investorsand governmentalstakeholders.
Youcanaccesthedatabasethrough:https://phyconomynet/database/
ArecentcommunicationfromtheEuropeanCommission‘TowardsastrongandsustainableEU algae sector ' , wants to help unlock the potential of algae in the European Union. The communicationinitiativeproposes23actionstocreateopportunitiesfortheindustry(European commission,2022)
Keyactionsinclude:
1.ToolkitDevelopment:Creatinganewtoolkitforalgaefarmerstosupporttheir operationsandgrowth
2.MarineSpacialAccess:Facilitatingaccesstomarineareas,identifyingoptimal sitesforseaweedfarming,andintegratingseaweedfarmingintomaritimespatial plans.
3.StandardsandSafety:WorkingwiththeEuropeanCommitteefor Standardisation(CEN)todevelopstandardsforalgaeingredients,contaminants, andalgae-basedbiofuels Thisincludesassessingthemarketpotential,efficiency, andsafetyofalgae-basedmaterialsusedinfertilizers.
4.MarketSupport:Examiningthealgaemarketandproposingmechanismsto stimulatethemarketandsupporttechnologytransferfromresearchto commercialization
5.FundingandSupport:Fundingpilotprojectstosupportcareerreorientationand innovativeSMEswithinthealgaesector
6.ResearchandStudies:Conductingstudiesonseaweed’spotentialforclimate changemitigationanditsroleasbluecarbonsinks.Thisincludesdefining maximumlevelsofcontaminantsandiodineinalgae.
7.EUResearchPrograms:LeveragingHorizonEuropeandotherEUresearch programstodevelopadvancedalgaeprocessingsystems,novelproduction methods,andnewalgaecultivationsystems
Theseinitiativesaimtofosterasustainable,innovative,andeconomicallyviablealgaesector intheEU,aligningwithbroaderenvironmentalandeconomicobjectives
Supplychaindevelopmentfor seaweed-basedfoodproducts
Challenges
R&D
Cultivation
Limited knowledge available
Limited harvest/cultivation
capacity = Low volumes
Competitive pricing
Contaminants, both chemical (heavy metals, iodine), physical (foreign objects such as rope) and biological (insects, crustacean)
Inadequate quality control
Opportunitiesandsolutions
Research and showcase the applicability of European species
Scale up = higher volumes and competitive pricing
Seaweed certification
Lower contamination levels through processing
Processing
Food industry
Consumers
Cross contamination with allergens (crustaceans)
Limited shelf life
Costly preservation techniques
Cheaper imported seaweed
Need for high volume
Need for a uniform product
Lack of knowledge on sensorial, nutritional and technofunctional properties
Consumer awareness, accaptibility and neofobia
Not readily available
Inexperience in preparing seaweed (-based products)
Specific, acquired taste
Unique selling points are often missing or unclear
Wash, dry, ferment or freeze seaweed to extend shelf life
Processing tailored to desired food application
Clean(er) label
Wide range in nutritional and technofunctional properties
Inspire consumers
Highlight (health) benefits of (locally produced) seaweed
Introduce seaweed in wellknown products (“Seaweed by stealth marketing strategy”)
Source: (WUR,2018;Valgorize,2021) 5
Legislationandfoodsafety
NovelFood
Previously, only few types of algae were considered non-novel foods in the EU However, in February of 2024, over 20 algae species have been included in the EU Novel Food Status Catalogue as "non-novel foods". This indicates that pre-market authorisation as novel foods is not required before they are sold on the EU market, eitherasfoodorspecificallyinfoodsupplements Theinclusionofthesenewspecies in the Novel Food Status Catalogue marks a significant breakthrough for the algae industryinEurope.Itisexpectedtoboostthesector'sgrowthbyofferingclarityonthe legalstatusoftheseproductsandeliminatingthesubstantialcoststiedtonovelfood authorizations.Otheralgaespecieshavebeenrecognisedasnotnovelwhenusedin foodsupplements,butmayrequireauthorisationforotherfooduses.
Withinthisinfobrochure,we’llfocusonthemostcommonlyusednon-novelseaweed species(inbold).
Acompleteandup-to-datelistofthenon-novelfoodalgaeisavailableintheEUNovelFoodStatus Cataloguehttps://ec.europa.eu/food/food-feed-portal/screen/novel-food-catalogue/search
Table 1: Non-novel seaweed species (EU Novel Food status Catalogue , 2024)
Allergens
Therearefewdocumentedcasesofallergenicitytoseaweed(Garciarenaetal.,2022).
1.Seaweed-derivedcarrageenan
The thickening agent carrageenan can, in rare cases, cause allergic reactions tofoodormedicationsintheabsenceofotherallergictriggers(only3cases).
Possible sources of carrageenan include dairy products, milk alternatives, proteinsupplements,meatproducts,andoralmedication
2.Marine-derivedcontaminants:
Cultivatedseaweedcanbecontaminatedwithcrustaceans,molluscsorfish.Asa result, patients with shellfish or fish allergies are at risk of an allergic reaction, and shouldcheckproductlabelscarefully
Iodine&heavymetals
Iodine
Seaweed, particularly varieties like kelp, is naturally rich in iodine. While iodine is an essentialnutrientforthyroidfunction,excessiveintakecanleadtothyroiddysfunction, including hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism This risk is particularly significant for individuals with preexisting thyroid conditions Monitoring and moderating seaweed consumption is crucial to stay within the recommended dietary iodine intake levels andavoidadverseeffects.
There are different recommendated levels regarding iodine in seaweed In France therearenationalrecommendations,withamaximumlevelof2000mgiodine/kgdry matter for edible seaweed. Germany allows a maximum content of 20 mg iodine/kg in fresh seaweed for consumption, corresponding to around 400 mg of iodine per kg dryweight(CEVA,2011-2013;ANSES,2018).
EFSA has issued recommendations on daily intake of iodine (EFSA, 2014) The recommended intake of iodine for children from age 10 and adults is 150 μg/day. For infantsaged7–11monthsandforchildren,anadequateintake(AI)rangeisbetween 70μg/dayand130μg/day.Forpregnantandlactatingwomen,anAIof200μg/dayis proposed. Intake above 600 μg/day is not recommended (Hogstad et al. , 2023). EFSA (2006) concludes that the ingestion of iodine-rich algal derived food products, particularly dried products, can lead to dangerously excessive iodine intakes, if such productscontainmorethan20mgiodine/kgdrymatterandtheexposedpopulation livesinanareaofendemiciodinedeficiency.
Brown seaweeds are the species that have the highe concentrations of iodine, with levels that can exceed 10,00 μg/g dry weight, followed by red seaweeds (<1000 μg/g dr weight) and green seaweeds (<100 μg/g dry weight) (CEVA 2011-2013) (ANSES , 2018).
HeavyMetals
Seaweed has the potential to absorb heavy metals from the surrounding water, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury Excessive consumption of these metals can lead to toxicity, which may cause health issues such as kidney damage, neurological problems, and an increased risk of cancer. To mitigate these risks, it is essentialtosourceseaweedfromreputablesupplierswhotestforheavymetalsand complywithsafetystandards.MaximumlevelsasrecommendedbyCeva(2014)are giveninthetable2:
Table 2: Maximum levels of heavy metals (Ceva, 2014)
Microbiologicalfoodsafety
Whiletherearenospecificmicrobiologicalcriteriasetforalgaeatan Europeanlevel,therearehistoricalrecommendationsformicrobiological qualityofpackageddriedalgae,whichcanbe foundinTable3.
Table 3: Microbiological criteria for dried algae (Ceva, 2014)
CFU/g(dryweight)
Mesophilicaerobicgerms
≤10 /gDW
Faecalcoliforms ≤10/gDW
Anaerobicsulfito-reducingbacteria ≤10 /gDW
Staphylococcusaureus ≤10 /gDW
Clostridiumperfringens ≤1/gDW
Amorecompleteoverviewonmicrobialcontaminationandbiotoxin regulationcanbefoundinFoodsafetyregulationandrecommendations involvingAlgaeandAlgaebasedProducts (EU4Algae,2023).
Tobenefitfromthenutritionalattributesofseaweedwhileminimizingpotential healthhazards,considerthefollowingmitigationstrategies:
QualityControl
Chooseseaweedproductsthathavebeen testedandcertifiedforlowheavymetaland iodinecontent.
Post-harvestprocessing processingstepslikewashingand/orblanching canlowertheiodineandheavymetalcontent aswellasimprovebiologicalsafety.
Moderateintakeanddiversediet:Consume seaweedinmoderationtoavoidexcessive iodineintake,adheringtodietaryguidelines andincorporateavarietyofiodinesourcesin yourdiettopreventover-relianceonseaweed.
Byunderstandingandmanagingtheserisks,consumerscansafelyinclude seaweedintheirdietandbenefitfromitsnutritionalproperties.
Maincharacteristicsand differentseaweedapplications
Seaweedtypes
Greenseaweeds
Latinname
Chlorophycota, Chlorophyta
Popularspecies
Sealettuce(Ulva Lactuca)
Redseaweeds
Latinname
Rhodoplantae, Rhodophyta
Popularspecies Dulse (Palmaria palmata)
Irishmoss (Chrondrus crispus)
Nori/purple
laver/laverbread (Porphyrasp.)
Brownseaweed
Latinname
Phaeophycota, Phaeophyta,
Popularspecies
Atlantic Wakame/winged Kelp(Alaria esculenta)
Seaspaghetti (Himanthalia elangata)
Royal Kumbu/sugar kelp(Saccharina latissima)
source:(Domínguez,2013)
Pigmentsandantioxidativeproperties
Greenseaweeds Redseaweeds Brownseaweed
Chlorophyllaandb (waterinsoluble)
β-carotene(vitA precursor)with powerful antioxidative properties(water insoluble)
Chlorophylla Chlorophylla
Phycobiliproteins Phycobiliproteins (watersoluble): (watersoluble): Phycocyanobilin Phycocyanobilin e e
Phycoerythrobilin Phycoerythrobilin ewithRewithRphycoerythrine phycoerythrine beingapopular beingapopular ffoodpigment oodpigment
Phycourobiline Phycourobiline Phycobilivioline Phycobilivioline
Phycobiliproteins, Phycobiliproteins, particularly particularly phycoerythrin and phycoerythrin and phycocyanin,arestrong phycocyanin,arestrong antioxidants. antioxidants.
Carotenoidssuchas Carotenoidssuchas zeaxanthinand zeaxanthinand astaxanthin astaxanthin
Astaxanthinisoneofthe Astaxanthinisoneofthe most powerful natural most powerful natural antioxidantsknown,with antioxidantsknown,with the ability to protect the ability to protect against oxidative stress against oxidative stress in lipids and proteins. It in lipids and proteins It has applications in has applications in functional foods and functional foods and nutraceuticals. nutraceuticals.
Chlorophyllaandc Chlorophyllaandc (waterinsoluble) (waterinsoluble) Xanthophylls Xanthophylls (carotenoiden)f.e. (carotenoiden)f.e. Fucoxanthin Fucoxanthin (orange)(butthis (orange)(butthis pigmentis pigmentis vulnerableto vulnerableto degradation)(water degradation)(water iinsoluble) nsoluble)
Fucoxanthinisaunique Fucoxanthinisaunique carotenoidwithstrong carotenoidwithstrong antioxidantproperties antioxidantproperties and and canbeusedin canbeusedin ffunctionalfoodsand unctionalfoodsand beveragesaimedat beveragesaimedat promotingoverall promotingoverall healthandprotecting healthandprotecting againstoxidative againstoxidative damage. damage.
©APIltd
Proteins
Thealgalproteinprofileisclosetothatofeggprotein,withalgalproteinbeingasourceof allaminoacidsespeciallyglycine,alanine,arginine,proline,glutamicandasparticacids Greenandparticularlyredseaweeds(10-47%DW)haveahigherproteincontent comparedtobrownseaweed(5-24%DW)Ofnote,theproteincontentheavilydepends onthespeciesandseasonalityoftheharvest(generallybetterduringthesummer) (Domínguez,2013).
Vitamins
Seaweedsareagoodsourceforwatersolublevitamins(suchasvit B1,B2,B12andC),as wellasfatsolublevitamins(A,E,DandK) Thevitamincontentinseaweedscanvary significantlydependingonthespecies,theenvironmentinwhichtheygrow,andhow theyareprocessed.
SeaweedscanbeasourceofvitaminB12,whichisquiterareinplant-basedfoods. This canbeinterestingforvegetariansandvegans,whomightotherwisestruggletoobtain sufficientamountsofthisessentialvitaminfromtheirdiet.ThisvitaminB12ishowever found in boths its bioavailable and unavailable form Further research is needed to identifytheseaweedspecieswiththehighestlevelofbioactivevitB12(Domínguez,2013; Watanabeetal.,2014).
Lipids
Seaweeds have a generally low lipid content, but can be rich in ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), specifically α-linolenic (18:3n-3), octadecatetraenoic (18:4n-3), arachidonic (20:4n-6), and eicosapentaenoic acids (20:5n-3)(Domínguez,2013;Dawczynskietal.,2007).
Saltreduction
Seaweed naturally has a salty taste and is rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium,inadditiontosodium.SeaweedhasalowNa/K-ratio(closeto1).Byusing seaweed rich in KCl forms, NaCl can be significantly reduced when developing a seaweed enriched food product. As Human tastebuds have difficulty distinguishing K fromNa,theuseofKCl-richseaweedspeciescanhelptosignificantlyreducetheneedof additionalsaltinproductdevelopment.Furthermore,Kcantasteupto8timessaltier thanNaCl,whenusedinequalamounts(Domínguezetal.,2013;Netoetal.,2018).
Phycocolloids
Thetypicalcarbohydratesinedibleseaweedsarenotdigestibleandareconsidered insolubledietaryfiber.Thecontentrangesfrom33to50g/100gDW(Dawczynskietal., 2007).Hydrocolloidsareaspecifictypeofcarbohydratethathastheabilitytoform gelsorthickensolutionswhendispersedinwater.Theyaretypicallypolysaccharides and are widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries for their gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. Phycocolloids are a subset of hydrocolloidsthatspecificallyrefertopolysaccharidesextractedfromseaweed.
France,SpainandPortugalarethemainproducersofhydrocolloidsinEurope,butthevastmajorityof hydrocolloid products are produced in Asia Belgium on the other hand is one of Europes main importers(Valgorize,2021).
Greenseaweed
Redseaweed Brownseaweed
Flurideanstarchand cellulose
Agar:Extractedfromred algae(likeGelidiumand Gracilaria),agarisused asagellingagentin foodand microbiologicalcultures (watersoluble)
Carrageenan:Also obtainedfromredalgae (suchasChondrus crispus),carrageenanis usedforitsthickening, gelling,andstabilizing propertiesinfood productslikedairyand plant-basedmilk alternatives(water soluble)
Alginate:Derived frombrownalgae (suchasAscophyllum nodosum,Laminaria sp.andMacrocystis), alginateisusedforits abilitytoformgelsin thepresenceof calciumionsandis utilizedinfoods, wounddressings,and evenintheproduction ofbiodegradable plastics(non-water soluble).
source:(Domínguez,2013)
Cellulose
Fucoidan,laminaran, celluloseand mannitol
Useofphycocolloidsasfatreplacement
Phycocolloidsareincreasinglybeingusedasfatreplacersinvariousfoodproducts duetotheirabilitytomimicthetextureandmouthfeeloffats.Themechanismsin whichphycocolloidsreplacefatsisthroughtheir
Gellingpropertiesthatmimicthetextureandconsistencyoffat,improvingthe mouthfeeloffoodproductswithareducedfatcontent.
Waterbindingpropertieswhichhelpsincreatingasmoothandcreamytexture andiscrucialinmaintainingmoistureandimprovingthesensoryattributesoflowfatfoods
Viscosityenhancementwhichhelpssimulatethethicknessandrichnesstypically contributedbyfatsThisisparticularlyusefulinproductslikesoups,sauces,and dressings.
Applicationsinclude:
Dairyproducts,f.e.carrageenanisusedincombinationwithpectineandstarchto formasubstituteforgelatinortheuseofcarrageenantopreventseparationand theformationoficecristalsinicecreamor f.e.Improvesthesuspensionofcacao
Meat(alternatives),f.e.Kappa-carageenancanbeusedtoreplacefatin processedmeatssuchasfrankfurters
Dressingandsauces,f.e.Carrageenanandxanthancanbeusedtogivetexture andconsistencytolightmayonnaise
Bakeryproducts
source:(Domínguez,2013;Netoetal,2018)
Referencelist
Agrafino(2024)Novelfoods:Statusofcertainalgaespecies:Novelfoods:Statusofcertainalgaespecies
ANSES(2018) OPINIONoftheFrenchAgencyforFood,EnvironmentalandOccupationalHealth&Safety French AgencyforFood,EnvironmentalandOccupationalHealth&Safety
Banach,J.L.,Hoek‐vandenHil,E.F.,&Fels‐Klerx,H.J.(2020).FoodsafetyhazardsintheEuropeanseaweedchain. ComprehensiveReviewsinFoodScienceandFoodSafety,19(2),332–364https://doiorg/101111/1541-433712523 BiancoM,VenturaG,CalvanoCD,LositoI,CataldiTRI Anewparadigmtosearchforallergenicproteinsinnovel foodsbyintegratingproteomicsanalysisandinsilicosequencehomologyprediction:Focusonspirulinaand chlorellamicroalgae.Talanta.2022Apr1;240.
CEVA(2019)Edibleseaweedandmicroalgae-RegulatorystatusinFranceandEurope Dawczynski,C;Schubert,R;Jahreis,G Aminoacids,fattyacids,anddietaryfiberinedibleseaweedproducts FoodChem.2007,103,891–899.
Domínguez, H. (2013). Functional ingredients from algae for food and neutraceuticals. Chapter 1: Algae as a sourceofbioactiveingredientsfortheformulationoffunctionalfoodsandnutraceuticals WoodheadPublishing SeriesinFoodScience,TechnologyandNutrition
EU4Algae(2023).FoodsafetyregulationandrecommendationsinvolvingAlgaeandAlgaebasedProducts.. Availableathttps://maritime-forum.ec.europa.eu/contents/algae-food en European commission (2022) Towards a strong and sustainable EU Algae sectorCommunication from the commissiontotheEuropeanparliament,thecouncil,theEuropeaneconomicandsocialcommitteeandthe committeeoftheregions.Availableathttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2022:592:FIN EuropeanCommission,JointResearchCentre,VazquezCalderon,F.,SanchezLopez,J.,Anoverviewofthealgae industryinEurope–Producers,productionsystems,species,biomassuses,otherstepsinthevaluechainand socio-economicdata,PublicationsOfficeoftheEuropeanUnion,2022,https://dataeuropaeu/doi/102760/813113 FernandezA,DanismanE,TaheriBoroujerdiM,KazemiS,MorenoFJ,EpsteinMM.Researchgapsandfutureneeds forallergenpredictioninfoodsafety.Vol.5,FrontiersinAllergy.FrontiersMediaSA;2024. FoodSafetyAuthorityofIreland(2020) Safetyconsiderationsofseaweedandseaweed-derivedfoodsavailable ontheIrishmarketReportoftheScientificCommitteeoftheFoodSafetyAuthorityofIreland Garciarena,I N,Poulsen,M,&LindholmBøgh,K (2022) Risk–benefitassessmentofseaweedAllergenicityrisk assessmentofnovelprotein.EFSAJournal,20(Suppl1),e200414-n/a.https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.e200414 Gosch,Björn&Magnusson,Marie&Paul,Nicholas&deNys,Rocky(2012)Totallipidandfattyacidcompositionof seaweeds for the selection of species for oil-based biofuel and bioproducts GCB Bioenergy 4 919-930 101111/j1757-1707201201175x
Hogstad,Solbjørg&Cederberg,Dorthe&Eriksen,Helle&Kollander,Barbro&Ólafsson,Grímur&ikkelsen,Bjørg. (2023) ANordicapproachtofoodsafetyriskmanagementofseaweedforuseasfood 106027/temanord2022564
JamesCA,WelhamS,RoseP Ediblealgaeallergenicity–ashortreport Vol 35,JournalofAppliedPhycology SpringerScienceandBusinessMediaB.V.;2023.p.339–52.
Neto, R T, Marçal, C, Queirós, A S, Abreu, H, Silva, A M S, & Cardoso, S M (2018) Screening of Ulva rigida , Gracilaria sp, Fucus vesiculosus and Saccharina latissima as Functional Ingredients International Journal of MolecularSciences,19(10),2987-https://doiorg/103390/ijms19102987
Pali-SchöllI,VerhoeckxK,MafraI,BavaroSL,ClareMillsEN,MonaciL.Allergenicandnovelfoodproteins:Stateof theartandchallengesintheallergenicityassessment Vol 84,TrendsinFoodScienceandTechnology Elsevier Ltd;2019p45–8
Soler-Vila, A, Edwards, M, Whelan, S, Hanniffy, D, Heesch, S, Hernández-Kantún, J, Moniz, M, Quéguineur, B, Ratcliff,J.,Wan,A.H.L.,andM.D.Guiry.(2022).MacroalgaeFactsheets(2ndEdition),Galway,Ireland.66pp. VakaljanSL,SchefflerSA,WuV,OhayonJA WhenMilkisn’ttheProblem CarrageenanasaTriggerforAllergic ReactionstoDairyProductsJournalofAllergyandClinicalImmunology2019Feb;143(2):AB73
ValgOrize(2021) Marketpotentialreportforcultivatedseaweedsinexistingseaweedfoodmarkets Availableat https://www.northseafarmers.org/news/210311-Seaweed-market-study-results
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Atlanticwakame-Alariaesculenta
Bladerwrack-Fucusvesiculosus Page20
Forestkelp-Laminariahyperborea Page21
Oarweed-Laminariadigitata Page22
RockWeed-Ascophyllumnodosum Page23
SeaSpaghetti-Himanthaliaelongata Page24
Sugarkelp/Royalkombu-Saccharinalatissima Page25
Wakame-Undariapinnatifida Page26
Dulse-Palmariapalmata Page27
Irishmoss-Chondruscrispus Page28
Nori-Porphyrasp. Page29
Sealettuce-Ulvalactuca Page30
©Lofotenseaweed
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope
Sensoryproperties
Delicate,subtlysweetflavor withunderlyingbrinyand umaminotes.Comparedto someotherseaweedspecies, itsflavortendstoberelatively mild,makingitversatilefor variousculinaryapplications.
Latinname: Alariaesculenta
Commonname: Atlanticwakame,wingedkelp Type: Brownalgae
Locality
Europe:
CoastsoftheNorthAtlantic(France,Scotland, Ireland,Greenland,Iceland,FaroeIslands. TheNorthSea(England,Norway,Netherlands) NativetocoldtemperatecoastalareasofJapan, Korea,China,andRussia
Technofunctionalproperties
Containshighlevelsofalginate Hasagoodwaterholdingcapacityandcanbe usedforitsgellingandemulsifyingproperties Isparticularlyrichinfucoxanthin
Productsorusecases
Soldasis,inflakesorpowderform UsedinMisosoupsandsalads
Source: https://seaweedsolutions.com/winged-kelp-wakame-alaria-esculenta doi:10.3390/foods10092210 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.08.035
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope
Latinname: Fucusvesiculosus
Commonname: Bladderwrack
Type: Brownalgae
Locality
Widely found in most of North-West Europe, along the North-East Atlantic, the North Sea and the WesternMediterraneanSea
Sensoryproperties
Saltyandslightlybitter,withasavory umamitaste.Strong,iodine-like scentreminiscentoftheseaTough andleatherywhendried,becoming tenderandchewywhenrehydrated orcooked.
Technofunctional properties
Hasverygoodantioxidativeproperties (amongotherduetoitshighphenolic andfucoxanthincontent)
Mostlyusedasanutritionalsupplementorinseaweedskincare Usedinbrothsandsoups Productsorusecases
Soldasis,inflakesorpowderform
Source: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19102987
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9070611
https://doiorg/103390/foods13040540
Seasonality
Peakgrowth:duringwinter andstopsinsummer.Harvest season:April/May,extending throughOctober
Latinname: Laminariahyperborea
Commonname: Forestkelp
Type: Brownalgae
Locality
NorthAtlantic(IcelandtoRusianCoasts)andArctic oceans(British,IrishandScandinaviancoasts,North sea)
SouthAtlantictomid-Portugal,includingNorway, theFaroes,northernFrance,andnorthernSpain
Sensoryproperties
Toughtexturewhenraw. Mostlyusedafterdrying Can adddepthinflavour,anda richumami.
Technofunctionalproperties
Mainlyharvestedforalginateproduction(used asfoodadditive,similartoLaminariadigitata) Highlaminarincontent,whichhasantibacterial properties
Hasgoodfatreplacementandwaterbinding properties
Productsorusecases
Ingredientinthemanufactureofmeatproducts(patties,breakfastsausage)toreduce cookinglossandprovidetexture Imitationcaviarforvegetariansandvegans
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2016.08.016 https://seaweedsolutions.com/tangle-cuvie-laminaria-hyperborea https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1309
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope:springearlysummer(extending throughOctober)
Sensoryproperties
Strongmarinearoma, heartymineraltaste.Firm, toughtexturewhenraw
Commonname: Oarweed
Type: Brownalgae
Locality
Europe:BritishandIrishcoastsandintheNorthSea, fromthenorthalongtheScandinaviancoaststo thesoutherncoastsofBrittany.Thisseaweedis alsofoundinIceland,theFaeroes,southern Greenland,theeasterncoastsofNorthAmerica fromHudsonStraitstoNewYork,andinCanadian Atlanticcoastalwaters.
Productsorusecases -
Technofunctionalproperties
Goodnaturalstabiliser(inpowderedform)
Canbeusedtotthickenandemulsifysauces, drinks,jelliesandicecream(alginate) Highlaminarincontent,whichhasantibacterial properties
Driedinsoupsandbroths
Pickledorfermentedstems
Source:
https://doiorg/101016/jfoodres201608016
https://seaweedsolutions.com/oarweed-laminaria-digitata
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope:springearlysummer
Sensoryproperties
Complexflavorprofilewitha pronouncedbrinyandslightly saltytaste.Itmayalsohave subtlehintsofsweetness, umami,andminerality
Productsorusecases
Latinname: Ascophyllumnodosum
Commonname: Rockweed Type: Brownalgae
Locality
NEAtlanticOcean(Arcticshores,Greenland, IcelandandnorthernNorwaytoPortugal)
Technofunctionalproperties
Usedforitsgellingpropertiesandgood antioxidativepoperties
Seaweedchips:https://www.wereldvanzeewier.nl/voeding/zeewiercrisps usedasflavorenhancer(raworcookedinsaladsorbroths)
Source: https://doiorg/101016/jcrfs202105005 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-020-02246-6
https://www.nuwen.com/en/product/food/innovative-marine-solutions/flavoursboosters/ascophyllum-
3/#:~:text=A%20flavor%20booster%2C%20Ascophyllum%20can,to%20adapt%20to%20industri al%20constraints
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope
Latinname: Himanthaliaelongata
Commonname: Seaspaghetti Type: Brownalgae
Locality
EuropeanAtlanticcoasts(FaroeIslandsto Portugal),NorthSea
Sensoryproperties
Abeefy,umami,nutty-like flavour.
Productsorusecases
Technofunctional properties
Saltreduction
Fatreplacementandthickeningagent duetohighalginatecontents improving textureandpreventingcookinglossesin hybridmeatproducts.
Useasspaghetti(boil10-15min,eatwithadressing,tomatosauceorinasalad Cookedorpickledbeforeeatingthemasharicotsdemer(seabeans)
Vegetablepaté:algamarcom/en/producto/vegetable-pate-with-seaweed-andshiitake-180g/
Pasta:algamar.com/en/producto/wholemeal-pasta-with-sea-vegetablesspaghetti-250g/
Source:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2009.04.020
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081197
https://doiorg/101111/ijfs12210
https://doiorg/101016/jfoodres201608016
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope: latespring, earlysummer
Latinname: Saccharinalatissima
Commonname: Sugarkelp/Royalkombu Type: Brownalgae
Locality
NorthAtlantic,Pacific,andArcticOceans.From AtlanticcoastsofEuropefromNorwaytoPortugal. AlsofoundinGreenland,EastcoastofAmerica downtoNewJersey,PacificcoastofAmerica, BeringStraitsandJapan.
Sensoryproperties Technofunctionalproperties
Sweetflavorandumami Heat-treatmentand fermentationcauseda reducedsaltinessandumami flavourofthesugarkelp,aless slimyvisualappearanceand areducedsmellofsea Thefermentedsugarkelphas astrongbiteandastronger smellofseaandamoresalty, ironyandumamirichtaste.
Productsandusecase
Containsalotofalginates:thickeners,stabilizers andgellingagents
Sugarkelpismostlyusedinsoups,andsalads Seaweedtartare:https://www.bretalg.com/ Plantbasedseanuggets,weedburgerandfishsicks:https://dutchweedburger.com/ Bouillonwithmushooms:https://www.yourwell.nl/
Source:
https://doiorg/103390/ijms19102987 https://doiorg/103390/app14177811
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope
Sensoryproperties
Umami,sweetmineraland oyster-liketasteFineand crunchytexture
Productsorusecases
Latinname: Undariapinnatifida
Commonname: Wakame
Type: Brownalgae
Locality
Europa:North-westSpain,FranceinBritanny,Westof brest,St.Malo
Asia:China,SouthKorea,Japan
Technofunctionalproperties
Richinfucoxanthin(goodanitioxiativeproperies) Goodwaterholdingcapacityandgellingagent, whichcanbeusedtopreventcoockinglossin hybridproducts Emulsifyingproperties
vegetablepaté:https://algamar.com/en/producto/vegetable-pate-with-seaweedcarrot-and-turmeric-180g/ seaweedmayonnais:https://wwwwereldvanzeewiernl/food/mayonaise-withwakame-organic-200-ml
Soldinflakesorpowderform(https://www.dutchseaweedgroup.com/en/overviewof-our-seaweeds/wakame/)
Source: https://www.fao.org/figis/pdf/fishery/culturedspecies/Undaria pinnatifida/en? title=FAO%20Fisheries%20%26%20Aquaculture%20%20Cultured%20Aquatic%20Species%20Information%20Programme%20%20Undaria%20pinnatifida%20%28%28Harvey%29%20Suringar%2C%201873%29 https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2021.1892749
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope
Itcanbeharvestedasearlyas June,butitsnormalharvest seasonisSeptembertoApril
Latin name:
Common name: Dulse
Type:
Redalgae
Locality
Europe:DistributedalongtheNorthAtlanticshores (NorwaytoSpain,Portugal,andAzores)
NWAtlantic
Asia:Japan,Korea
Sensoryproperties
Sweetumamiandslightlyiodisedflavor withstrongmarinearoma.Firmandchewy texture.Developsnotesoflicoriceand smokewhendried,andanuttytastewhen toasted.Dulsecanhaveabacon-liketaste whenfried.
Productsorusecases
Pan-friedintochips
Bakeryproducts,f.e.Algenbot(Germany)
Technofunctionalproperties
Goodsaltreplacer(K/Naratioof around4–5andinsomecasesupto 7)
Moderatelyrichincarrageenan,but lessusedforitsgellingproperties RichinPhycoerythrid(redpigment)
Sweetandheartysnacks:https://www.seaweedproducts.ie/product/algaranorganic-hazelnuts-coated-with-carragheen-coconut-sugar/ Canbeusedasagellingorthickeningagentinproductslikesauces,soups,and dairyalternatives.
Source:
https://doiorg/101007/s10811-022-02899-5
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-0014-7
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2013.11.031
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2016.08.016
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope
Commonname:
Irishmoss
Type:
Redalgae
Locality
Europe:Azores,Portugal,Spain,France,Netherlands, NorwayandIceland AtlanticcoastofNorthAmerica:CanadaandtheUS
Sensoryproperties
Mild,slightlysea-likeorsalty flavor,butinmostfood applications,thetasteis generallyneutralorbarely perceptible,makingit versatileinuse.Mainlyused asatextureenhancer,leading toacreamymouthfeel.
Desserts,jellys,dairy productsf.e.carrageen moss/irishmosspudding Productsorusecases
Source:
https://wwwinaturalistorg/guide taxa/293122 https://seavegcom/pages/what-is-irish-moss?srsltid=AfmBOopAUZ6TSOpphEjF4difXBFciVKj0WF4evtNd3fBTyvWtH8xwoC -
Technofunctionalproperties
Produceslargeamountscarrageenansisused asathickening,gellingandstabilizingagentin multiplefoodproducts Canbeusedasfatreplacement inlow-fatdairy productsandhelpsimprovemouthfeel
©Alganex
Seasonality
HarvestinEurope:spring
Commonname:
Sensoryproperties
Highglutamatecontentso relatedtoasweetandsalty umamitasteanda characteristic “oceanic” flavour
Locality
EuropeanAtlanticcoasts(FaroessouthtoCanary Islands),Tranditionallyharvested:Scotland,Wales andIreland.
MainlyimportedfromAsia(cultivatedNorifrom China,SouthKorea,Japan,HawaiiandPhilippines
Technofunctionalproperties
Goodantioxidativeproperties
Incomparisontodulseandirishmoss,norihas averylowcarrageencontent,butinsteadis oneoftheseaweedswiththehighestprotein contents
Productsorusecases
IntraditionalJapaneseandEastAsiancuisine, noriismostcommonlyusedasawrapor toppingduetoitsthinandcrispytexture,and pronouncedflavour.IItismostfamouslyusedin sushibutalsoinsoupsandseasoning Seaweedcrisps: https://www.abakusfoods.com/ chocolate:https://algseaweedcom/
Source:
https://doi.org/10.1080/10498850.2020.1868642 https://doiorg/101016/jfoodres201608016
©Lofotenseaweed
Seasonality
Latinname: Ulvalactuca
Commonname: SeaLettuce Type: GreenAlgae
Locality
HarvestinEurope:summer U.lactucaisaverycommonseaweed,found acrosstheworld,includingWesternEurope,along theMediterranean,NorthandSouthAmerica, Africa,theIndianOceanandPacificislands, southwestAsia,Australia,andNewZealand
Sensoryproperties
Freshsealettucehasasofttexturebutstrong flavorvariouslydescribedasvibrant,ocean, slightlysalty,andsimilartosorrelDrying concentratestheseflavorsbutalsobrings outaratherpungentbitterness,especially whendriedsealettuceiscooked. Forthis reason,it’sbestusedasaseasoninginsoups orsaladsratherthanasamainingredient
Technofunctionalproperties
Thepolysaccharidesulvan,fucoidan andlaminarinfromU.lactucais havesomestabilizingand emulsifyingproperties.Sealettuce, however,doesnotpossessvery stronggellingoremulsifying propertiescomparedtosomeother seaweedspecies
Mostlyusedasseasoninginsalads,brothsandsoups. cheese:https://www.zeewierkaas.nl/ Saladandalsoinkimchipreparations. Productsorusecases
Source: E,H.M.,S,M.,&Baskaran,R.(2023).ThesealettuceUlvasensulato:Futurefoodwithhealth-promoting bioactives.AlgalResearch(Amsterdam),71,103069-.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2023.103069 https://seaweedsolutions.com/sea-lettuce-ulva-lactuca https://seaveg.com/pages/what-is-sea-lettuce?
Nutritionalinformation
ThefollowingnutritionalinformationisbasedonindicativevaluesfromCeva nutritionalsheets(availableathttps://www.cevaalgues.com/en/document/nutritional-data-sheets-on-algae/).Thesevalues representanaveragederivedfrommultiplepublicationsandresearchprogramsIt isimportanttonote,however,thatthenutritionalcontentofseaweedscanvary dependingonthebatch,growingconditions,andseasonality.
