The study of seaweed biology is of particular interest in the scientific community after the plant was discovered to have various healing components, some of which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, antitumor, prebiotic, and antimicrobial.
Seaweeds have unique functional compounds compared to land-based plants. They have a wide range of polysaccharides and hydrocolloids which can open up many industrial applications such as the manufacturing of antioxidant packaging films, a game-changer in the food preservation and packaging industry.
Due to the complex nature of its biological matrix, it can be challenging to isolate the specific macro- and micro molecules needed. As such scientists from the Dublin Institute of Technology have been studying and documenting preparation and extraction methods that are cost efficient and provide the highest yield.