Enhancing and controlling the quality of cultivated seaweeds for large-scale production and a sustainable supply chain to food and feed markets

Project funded by BlueBio Cofund ERA-NET by Horizon 2020 through the Icelandic Technology Development fund.

The project aimed to solve bottlenecks for further growth in European seaweed farming, and for the implementation of seaweed biomass as a raw material for food, feed, materials, and higher-value products. The QualiSea project thus addressed the current and future supply chain challenges related to a predictable and stable biomass quality from harvesting to preservation or processing (Fig. 1). A systematic study of parameters that affect the quality was performed, and rapid methods for quality control were assessed. Tracking systems for optimization of the logistics were developed, including sensors for monitoring of e.g. temperature and pH from harvesting, during transport and storage prior to processing. This increased understanding of the critical environmental parameters for biomass quality deterioration, and to enable year-round operations of the processing facilities, including drying plants, cost-efficient preservation methods based on food-grade acids or fermentation were developed and optimized for food and feed applications.

The project has expanded our knowledge about factors that affect the stability and quality of fresh biomass, and the choice of the most suited preservation methods. Studies of microbial, sensory and chemical changes in the biomass the first days after harvesting, before preservation, revealed the most critical factors affecting the quality deterioration and how these can be reduced by selecting the best storage conditions. For preservation of the biomass, food-grade acids and fermentation with lactic acid bacteria have been used. Acid preservation at pH 3.7-3.8 was efficient, with no microbial activity. Of the new methods tested for quality control and rapid characterisation of the biomass, hyperspectral imaging was most promising, and provided excellent prediction models for the proximate compositions of the seaweed samples, as well as acceptable indirect predictions of other components. Overall, the project has provided results of high importance and benefits for the seaweed supply chain's efficiency and sustainability, and for the industries along the value chain, paving the way for future advancements and growth in the industry. The new knowledge generated will be shared as scientific publications, as well as recommendations and guidelines for the industry.