Healthy living & lifestyle
With seaweed’s rich nutrients, omega-3 benefits and rising popularity in global markets, experts say it’s time to embrace this oceanic powerhouse.
It’s also capable of being grown in conditions that can enhance the presence of other micronutrients, such as zinc or iodine,” she explains. “And, unlike land-based crops, algal plants like duckweed have the advantage that you can eat the whole thing. Seaweeds and microalgae, such as spirulina, also contain unique compounds that can stimulate beneficial gut bacteria and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.” Research has also shown that seaweed offers significant cardiovascular and cognitive benefits. The omega-3 fatty acids found in seaweed help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol levels. Additionally, it contains bioactive compounds that support brain health, improve memory and focus, and may even help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s by combating oxidative stress and inflammation.
A sustainable alternative for fish and seafood
Due to its nutritional profile, components of algae are increasingly being used as part of cultivated fish products. As Williams explains, “Some companies are now fortifying their plant-based fish with long- chain omega-3 derived from algae-based ingredients. Finding new sources of omega-3 is urgently required as many people are deficient in this micronutrient and global fishing levels are already insufficient to meet global needs.”
For example, Portuguese researchers recently developed the world’s first 3D-printed seabass fillets using cultivated fish and microalgae, and work has
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taken place to explore whether algae can be used to reduce the cost of developing other cultivated seafood products.
“Precision fermentation – which uses natural microorganisms such as yeast to develop a wide range of ingredients – can also be applied to algae, producing sustainable omega-3 as an essential ingredient for plant-based and cultivated seafood,” adds Williams’ colleague Stella Child, research and grants manager at the GFI Europe.
“This is sorely needed as Europe imports three times more seafood than it produces, and nearly half of EU marine habitats are assessed as endangered or near threatened. Global demand for seafood is expected to increase by 5% over this decade and aquaculture is only expected to keep pace in 17 countries, with 800 million people at risk of malnutrition if the local catch continues to decline.” Algae production also compares favourably with traditional land-based agriculture, offering a sustainable, high-yield alternative that requires no fresh water, pesticides or arable land. What other food ingredient has the potential to be cultivated at sea, thriving in the open ocean between the turbines of offshore wind farms?
A project by North Sea Farmers testing this hypothesis recently received €1.5m from Amazon to explore large-scale seaweed farming in these spaces. Beyond offshore wind farms, algae can also be grown in coastal sea farms, land-based aquaculture systems and bioreactors, making it one of the most versatile and scalable potential food sources for the future. “Algae is capable of growing faster, being harvested more regularly and using fewer resources than land-
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