Seaweed is a plant-like organism that usually lives on rocky shorelines around the world. As a major coastal resource, seaweed is of value to human consumption and the environment in many countries. As consumer interest in foods and ingredients that are green, simple, minimally processed and without additives or preservatives increases, more and more seaweed is becoming a valuable food source. Seaweed can be called a "superfood", which is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A, D, C, E, and B and minerals including calcium, sodium, potassium, iodine, and phosphorus. In addition, seaweed also contains two types of polysaccharides, namely structural polysaccharides and storage polysaccharides. Structural polysaccharides are mainly cellulose, hemicellulose and xylan, which are similar to terrestrial plants. Storage polysaccharides, such as carrageenan and alginate, are relatively special because they are the most commercially valuable components of seaweed. These storage polysaccharides show excellent properties and have a wide range of applications and development prospects in the food industry.
Types of seaweed
Seaweed can be divided into four different groups: brown algae (phylum: Ochrophyta, classes: Phaeophyceae, about 1750 species), red algae (phylum: Rhodophyta, about 6000 species), green algae (phylum: Chlorophyta, classes: Bryopsidophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Dasycladophyceae, Prasinophyceae, and Ulvophyceae, about 1200 species) and blue-green algae (phylum: Cyanophyta, up to 1500 species).
Brown algae are a large and diverse group of golden-brown algae, ranging from small filamentous forms to large and complex seaweeds. They are the dominant organisms in coastal areas and are responsible for much of the primary production, often forming extensive undersea forests with a high degree of biodiversity.
Red algae are one of the oldest eukaryotic algae. They are a multicellular, filament, blade structure. Their usual red or blue color is the result of phycobilin pigments (phycoerythrin and phycocyanin) masking chlorophyll.
Green algae are a group of algae belonging to the Chlorophyta and are capable of photosynthesis. Green algae vary in size and shape and include single-celled, colonial, filamentous, and tubular forms. They are found in freshwater or marine habitats and play a key ecological role.
Some tuft-forming blue-green algae are sometimes considered as seaweeds. Like true seaweeds, blue-green algae make up a part of phytoplankton in many water bodies. They range from single-celled to filamentous and include colonial species. Colonies can form filaments, sheets or even hollow spheres.
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Common edible seaweed
Since ancient times, seaweed has been used as a source of human food. This is mainly due to the fact that seaweed is not only rich in nutrients, but also provides a variety of health benefits. To this day, edible seaweed is still widely consumed, especially in Asian countries, as an ingredient in fresh, dried or prepared foods. Some of the most common types of edible seaweed include, but are not limited to the following.
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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
