Marine Algae: Gathered Resource to Global Food Industry

Abstract

Seaweeds have always been important for human sustenance and culture. From the kelp forests of the Pacific Rim, which probably contributed to the successful migration of humans rapidly in the Americas, at the end of the Pleistocene, to the globalization of a seaweed industry in the twentieth century, seaweeds have played a central role in the lives of coastal populations and will continue to do so into the future. Seaweeds have always been a rich source of nutrition, and modern science is just now discovering the physiological basis for its traditional importance to those who consume it. From a basic nutritional standpoint, certain seaweeds can be rich in protein, dietary fibre, minerals, and vitamins. Beyond the nutritional fundamentals, seaweeds also contain bioactive compounds which have functional effects upon consumption. The globalization of the seaweed industry has been facilitated by the development of domesticated cultivars and industrial-scale cultivation techniques, largely centered in Asia. The popularity of Asian-type foods in the “western” world has driven the introduction of seaweed foods to new markets. At the same time, “western” foods are becoming popular in Asia and are being modified for the Asian market with the inclusion of seaweeds in these once unfamiliar products. The focus of applied seaweed research has been on the production of commodities, but a switch to high value products with beneficial effects on health has occurred recently. The food industry has also moved into the development of functional food products, and many seaweeds will likely become significant components of functional products in the future. Techniques for the production of high value cultivars, with elevated levels of bioactive compounds, will be required to feed these new functional markets, and regulations around health claims will inform how these products are supplied with raw materials. Cultivation will be increasingly important in the development of an industry focused on the production of high value, non-commodity products for human health.