Seaweed extracts
PEF for the production of seaweed extracts
Product examples: Kelp extracts, kelp oil, kelp protein, carotenoids, chlorophyll
Aim PEF treatment: Cell disintegration, cell proliferation, stress reactions, microbial inactivation, enhanced extraction and refining efficiency
Diverse group of macroalgae
Seaweeds are a diverse group of large marine macroalgae. Seaweeds can be used for human consumption, as a protein source in fish feed, as a source of pharmaceuticals, phycocolloids and other biochemicals, or as a carbon source for biofuel production. Aquaculture production of seaweeds is dominated by kelps. Valuable seaweed extracts include agar, carrageenan and alginate for use in food, nutritional supplements and fertilizers.
Harvesting and extracting valuable ingredients
Pulsemaster’s process allows selective harvesting and extraction of valuable components such as lipids, and cell proliferation by PEF induced stress reactions. PEF treatment can also help control contaminants such as protozoa in kelp cultures, to protect the microscopic stages of kelp and other seaweeds.
Benefits PEF
- Enrichment with secondary metabolites due to PEF stress induction on seaweed cells
- A targeted and controlled structural modification enabled by permeabilizing cell membranes
- Control of contaminants such as protozoa
- Enhanced product handling by tissue softening
- Improved extraction and refining efficiency and increased process capacity
- Vitamins, minerals, pigments, antioxidants, flavors and colors are retained
- Energy saving
More information
Pulsemaster has developed industrial scale equipment – named Conditioner – with treatment capacities up to 5,000 l/h (1320 US gal./h) for microbial inactivation and up to 50,000 kg/h (110,000 lb/h) for cell disintegration.