![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The widespread interest in algal foods and/or their functional food potential is evident in numerous recent reviews (Warrand 2006 MacArtain et al. The path from algal research to the launching of new food products or dietary supplements is strongly affected by industrial, regulatory, and nutritional considerations (e.g., see Borowitzka 2013a Finley et al. ![]() In addition to their nutritional value, algae increasingly are being marketed as “functional foods” or “nutraceuticals” these terms have no legal status in many nations but describe foods that contain bioactive compounds, or phytochemicals, that may benefit health beyond the role of basic nutrition (e.g., anti-inflammatories, disease prevention Bagchi 2006 Hafting et al. Overall, the trend towards increasing nutritional demand for algal products on a global basis stems from a greater focus on health and wider use of food additives. Human consumption of algal foods varies by nation, with Japanese diets representing a recent (2010–2014) annual per capita consumption ranging from 9.6 (2014) to 11.0 (2010) g macroalgae day −1 (MHLW 2014). The FAO ( 2014) estimated that 38 % of the 23.8 million t of seaweeds in the 2012 global harvest was eaten by humans in forms recognizable to them as seaweeds (e.g., kelps, nori/laver), not counting additional consumption of hydrocolloids (e.g., agars, alginates, carrageenans) used as thickening agents in foods and beverages. 2005 Gantar and Svircev 2008 Chacón-Lee and González-Mariño 20). In addition to macroalgae, some microalgae are cultivated for foods and food additives (Switzer 1980 Jassby 1988 Fournier et al. More contemporaneously, the global harvest of seaweeds in 2013 was estimated at US $6.7 billion, and over 95 % was produced in mariculture, with China and Indonesia being the top producers (FAO 2015). In North America, the Tsimshian First Nations’ people named the month of May for the time of year when they harvested the important food crop of Pyropia (Fig. Newton 1951 Tseng 1981 Aaronson 1986 Turner 2003 Gantar and Svircev 2008 Craigie 2010). 2008) and early written accounts (e.g., in China, 300 A.D. There are rich opportunities for phycologists in this emerging field, requiring exciting new experimental and collaborative approaches.Īlgae have been part of the human diet for thousands of years, based on archaeological evidence from 14,000 yBP in Chile (Dillehay et al. We highlight this rapidly advancing area of algal science with a particular focus on the key research required to assess better the health benefits of an alga or algal product. Superimposed considerations are the effects of harvesting, storage, and food processing techniques that can dramatically influence the potential nutritive value of algal-derived foods. Third is understanding how algal nutritional and functional constituents interact in human metabolism. The second issue is quantifying which fractions of algal foods are bioavailable to humans, and which factors influence how food constituents are released, ranging from food preparation through genetic differentiation in the gut microbiome. First, there is a limited understanding of nutritional composition across algal species, geographical regions, and seasons, all of which can substantially affect their dietary value. There is substantial evidence for the health benefits of algal-derived food products, but there remain considerable challenges in quantifying these benefits, as well as possible adverse effects. Global demand for macroalgal and microalgal foods is growing, and algae are increasingly being consumed for functional benefits beyond the traditional considerations of nutrition and health. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |