{"id":10722,"date":"2024-11-15T14:50:10","date_gmt":"2024-11-15T14:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=10722"},"modified":"2024-11-15T14:50:12","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T14:50:12","slug":"seaweed-as-a-sustainable-protein-source-scientists-achieve-breakthrough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/seaweed-as-a-sustainable-protein-source-scientists-achieve-breakthrough\/","title":{"rendered":"Seaweed as a Sustainable Protein Source: Scientists Achieve Breakthrough"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Scientists led by Chalmers University of Technology have developed a groundbreaking technique to extract proteins from sea lettuce, tripling the efficiency of previous methods. This innovation has significant implications for sustainable food production and could soon bring seaweed-based products to our plates.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b0ffac9c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Researchers led by Chalmers University of Technology have unlocked a more efficient process to extract proteins from seaweed, specifically sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata). This breakthrough, increasing extraction efficiency threefold, marks a significant step in sustainable food production, potentially shifting the way we consume and produce protein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seaweed, especially sea lettuce, is a nutritional powerhouse and an eco-friendly protein source. Unlike traditional crops, it requires no fresh water, fertilizers or pesticides, making it a highly sustainable option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt tastes like umami with a certain salty flavor, despite not containing such high levels of salt,\u201d Jo\u00e3o Trigo, a doctoral student in the division of Food and Nutrition Science at Chalmers, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/news.cision.com\/chalmers\/r\/the-blue-green-sustainable-proteins-of-seaweed-may-soon-be-on-your-plate,c4065792\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. \u201cI would say it&#8217;s a great flavor enhancer for seafood dishes and products, but the possibilities to explore are endless. Why not protein smoothies or \u2018blue burgers\u2019 from the sea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The innovation is part of the CirkAlg-project, an initiative aimed at establishing a new &#8220;blue-green&#8221; food industry in Sweden by utilizing seaweed. With their newly patented method, the researchers are able to isolate seaweed proteins using an alkaline aqueous solution, which opens up the cell membranes to access fat-soluble proteins. This process results in a protein-rich ingredient enriched with essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 \u2013 crucial for those who abstain from animal products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Our method is an important breakthrough, as it brings us closer to making it more affordable to extract these proteins, something that is done with pea and soy proteins today,\u201d added Trigo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cultivation of sea lettuce also presents advantages over land-grown proteins. Seaweed does not require irrigation, fertilization or pesticides, and it can adapt to varying environments. Moreover, by growing sea lettuce in tanks with recycled water from the seafood industry, its protein content is significantly enhanced, while recycling essential nutrients back into the food chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHumanity will need to find and combine the intake of many more diversified protein sources than we have available in our diet today, to meet sustainability and nutritional requirements,\u201d Ingrid Undeland, a professor of food science at Chalmers and a CirkAlg coordinator, said in the news release. \u201cAlgae is a good addition to many of the products already on the market. We need all these solutions and so far, the sea-based possibilities, the so-called blue proteins, have been overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The implications of this innovative process, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0308814624034897?via%3Dihub\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in Food Chemistry, are profound. Not only does it promote sustainability and reduce the environmental footprint of food production, but it also provides a nutritional boost with essential compounds that help mitigate deficiencies common in plant-based diets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn the future, we also want to be able to make use of the parts of the algae that are not proteins, and that could be used in food, materials or for medical applications. The goal is that no molecules should go to waste, to achieve both sustainability and commercial opportunities,\u201d added Undeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As global food industries seek more sustainable practices, the study highlights how transforming an underutilized resource like sea lettuce into a viable protein alternative can drive innovation and ecological stewardship. This scientific stride holds promise not only for Sweden but for global efforts to create a resilient and sustainable food system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers led by Chalmers University of Technology have unlocked a more efficient process to extract proteins from seaweed, specifically sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata). This breakthrough, increasing extraction efficiency threefold, marks a significant step in sustainable food production, potentially shifting the way we consume and produce protein. Seaweed, especially sea lettuce, is a nutritional powerhouse and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sustainability"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Researchers led by Chalmers University of Technology have unlocked a more efficient process to extract proteins from seaweed, specifically sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata). This breakthrough, increasing extraction efficiency threefold, marks a significant step in sustainable food production, potentially shifting the way we consume and produce protein. Seaweed, especially sea lettuce, is a nutritional powerhouse and&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10722"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10798,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10722\/revisions\/10798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}