How seaweed technology is taking over in the modern era?

Seaweed. Many of you must have heard this name in your textbooks. But did you ever think seaweed could take over the market in the modern times? Well, thanks to the brilliant minds who recognised the potential of seaweed and successfully exploited it for its benefits. Seaweed is being used extensively in our everyday products but we aren’t much aware about it. Let’s dive in to understand how seaweed is shaping our lives.

What is seaweed?

Seaweed also known as macroalgae, includes variety of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae.  Seaweeds can be both flowering plants submerged in the ocean (eg.eelgrass) and larger marine algae. Moreover bluegreen algae (Cyanobacteria) are also included in seaweed. Usually it is multicellular algae which can be Rhodophyta (red), Phaeophyta (brown) and Chlorophyta (green) macroalgae. They are classified under polyphyletic group since they do not have a common multicellular ancestor.

Seaweed in olden and modern times

Seaweed is rapidly turning into a novel staple ingredient in our diet.  It is high in protein, omega oils and a variety of nutrients and minerals, so it’s not difficult to see the reason why it is filling in ubiquity among our cognizant society.

• Since olden times seaweed has been a critical piece of East Asian eating regimens and has also been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine.
• The coastal communities have significantly participated in wild seaweed harvesting. Previously, harvesting was done by local townsfolk by handpicking rubbery leaves of green and brown colour. The local people knew very well about the seaweeds and the best seasons for picking them.
• Today, there exist advanced extraction techniques for harvesting seaweed. Collecting seaweeds adds to most of seaweed production in Europe, with the biggest makers being France, Norway, Ireland, Iceland and Russia. In Ireland, 10,000 wet lots of seaweed are accumulated every year from a solitary beach.
• In any case, conventional techniques for seaweed harvesting are time consuming and costly.
• Specialists explain that the expanding interest for seaweed as food items can be met only by cultivation. According to FAO, presently 96% of worldwide seaweed generation comes from cultivated farms instead of wild reaping.

How have seaweed grown in popularity over time?

For more than 700 million years, seaweed has been making its mark on this planet.

• In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the potential health benefits of seaweed, as well as its potential applications in other areas such as cosmetics and food manufacturing.
• There are many different types of seaweed, and each one contains different nutrients. For example, kelp is a type of brown seaweed that is rich in iodine, while nori is a type of red seaweed that is high in iron. Seaweed is also a good source of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as various minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
• We are additionally mindful that we want more feasible assets and want to drawdown the carbon dioxide concentration from the environment real quick. The innovations in scaling seaweed production are advancing, enabling seaweed technology ideal for these desires.

Current research on seaweed technology

• Seaweed technology is a fascinating area of research with many potential applications in the modern era.
• Scientists are currently exploring a range of different ways to utilize seaweed, from developing new methods of farming and cultivation, to using it as a biofuel source.
• Seaweed is also being investigated as a possible solution to ocean acidification and as a way to improve water quality in coastal areas.
• The health benefits of this amazing sea vegetable have been researched widely in recent years. Some of the most promising findings have been in the area of cancer prevention. Seaweed contains compounds that can help to protect cells from damage, and also helps to enhance the immune system. There is also some evidence that seaweed may help to prevent obesity, by increasing the body’s metabolism.

With so much potential, it is no wonder that seaweed technology is an area of active research.

 

The present state of things

• Seaweed has been used for millennia by coastal communities but the presence of new extraction technologies, the applications of seaweed has increased massively. Furthermore the chances of new disclosures are significantly raised owing to the feasibility of cultivating and harvesting seaweed.
• The seaweed market is significantly competitive due to the presence of multiple international and regional vendors. The market vendors are increasingly focusing on quality, pricing, and technology to strengthen their position in the seaweed market.
• The market players also adopt several business strategies to boost their profit margins and market share and sustain their dominance in the market.

Future of seaweed technology

• One of the greatest issues facing the planet today is to find eco-friendly, sustainable sources of energy. Crude oil is the power that contains high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and it’s running out. One solution to the problem may be utilizing seaweed to power the world’s economy. Seaweed technology is one of the most viable solutions in an age where fossil fuels are becoming scarce, and it is examined with new eyes by environmentalists worldwide!
• Newer products might be seen in the future which currently are not economically viable.
• Working on the anticancer properties of seaweed and executing the right steps to apply that knowledge for mankind could bring about a transformation in medicine.
• Seaweed credits to 51.3% of worldwide mariculture production and is found to grow at 6.2% every year. It conveys an expansive scope of biological system administrations, giving a wellspring of food and regular items across a range of businesses.
• It likewise offers a flexible, nature-based solution for reducing climate changes, stabilising eutrophication and biodiversity crisis. Increasing seaweed utilization and applications can support a roundabout bio economy in the coming years.

With the amount of research being led into seaweed and the revelation of the applications in the various sectors, the eventual fate of seaweed technology appears splendid. It is certain that this will be the defining moment of numerous things sooner rather than later and the ideal solution for the existing crisis.