Seaweed Proteins: Properties, Extraction, Challenges, and Prospects.

Area of Science:

• Marine Biotechnology
• Food Science
• Sustainable Nutrition

Background:

• Growing global population necessitates sustainable protein sources.
• Seaweed proteins and peptides are rich in essential amino acids and possess beneficial functional/bioactive properties.
• Current limitations include extraction difficulties, presence of undesirable compounds, and poor protein digestibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review seaweed protein and peptide properties.
• To address challenges in extraction, purification, and application.
• To evaluate current protein quantification methods and extraction techniques.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of seaweed protein and peptide research.
• Analysis of nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties.
• Evaluation of extraction, purification, and quantification methodologies.

Main Results:

• Seaweed proteins show significant potential but face hurdles like cell wall rigidity, low solubility, and antinutritional factors.
• Existing extraction methods require optimization for efficiency and sustainability.
• Protein quantification in seaweed biomass remains a significant challenge.

Conclusions:

• A biorefinery approach is crucial for sustainable seaweed biomass utilization.
• Commercial development and market integration of seaweed proteins are progressing.
• Future research should focus on bottom-up approaches and understanding biomolecular interactions for enhanced food applications.