Interest in seaweed as a food ingredient is no longer confined to Asian cuisine. A report in The New York Times, featured in Pulzo, reviews what various specialists have to say about its role in the diet.

The polysaccharides in seaweed serve as food for gut bacteria, which convert them into short-chain fatty acids – key compounds for gut health. Furthermore, they provide complete protein and minerals such as iron.

Experts add two caveats: the amounts consumed in a typical diet are small, so they do not replace other sources of protein, and the iodine content varies greatly depending on the species – an aspect to monitor in people with thyroid problems.

This variability in composition is precisely one of the reasons why organising and professionalising the seaweed value chain is so important. At BIOCHAINS Atlantic, we are working to connect those who produce, process and use algal biomass in the food and cosmetics sectors, so that the use of microalgae and macroalgae is efficient and sustainable across the Atlantic Area.