6.4 Availability of Raw Materials
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6.4 Availability of Raw Materials
Carrageenan is sourced from red algae (Rhodophyta), which is one of the three
main types of seaweeds. Seaweeds are grown commercially in 35 countries of the
world; as of 2003, the seaweed industry was valued at an estimated 5.5–6 billion
USD annually (McHugh 2003). Of this estimated value, about 1 billion occurs from
hydrocolloids production from seaweed with carrageenan being one of such. The
majority of seaweed production still goes toward direct consumption by humans as
food, while a smaller portion goes toward other miscellaneous uses such as fertilizers
and additives in animal feed. Species such as Undaria pinnatifida, Caulerpa spp. and
Porphyra spp. which are dominant in Eastern and Southeastern Asia are produced
mainly for direct consumption as food (FAO 2018).
As of 1995, 13.5 million tonnes of seaweed was reportedly produced globally
(McHugh 2003). This rose to over 30 million tonnes by 2016 (FAO 2018). The
seaweed production output is currently led by China and Indonesia. China’s seaweed
production rose from near 11 million tonnes in 2010 to over 14 million tonnes by
2016. Indonesia’s seaweed production rose from 4 million tonnes in 2010 to well over
11 million tonnes by 2016. Indonesia produces mainly K. alvarezii and Eucheuma
spp. which are the main sources for carrageenan production. Globally, Eucheuma spp.
is currently the highest produced seaweed species with output rising from 3.5 million
tonnes in 2010 to 10.5 million tonnes in 2016. K. alvarezii comes in as the fifth highest
output increasing from 1.2 million tonnes in 2010 to 1.5 million tonnes in 2016 (FAO
2018).
In 2018, FAO lists China, Indonesia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Chile, Solomon
Islands, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and India, as the major seaweed producers in the world (FAO 2018). However, there exists a large gap between the output
quantities, ranging from over 14 million tonnes produced by the top producer, China,
to 3 thousand tonnes produced by India, the lowest producer. Seaweed production
by far predominates over aquatic plant production globally. This can be attributed to
their significant role as highly nutritious food, potential medicinal applications and
increasing interest in cultivating them for biofuel production.
Seaweeds grow in a variety of conditions from cold to warm such that they can
grow in different parts of the world from northern to Southern Hemisphere. About
7.5–8 million tonnes of seaweed is harvested annually on wet basis. These are either
obtained from wild-growing stocks or cultivated in seaweed farms (McHugh 2003).
Using artificial growth systems which replicate the sea conditions, seaweeds are
being commercially grown even in the middle of the desert.
The earliest red seaweed species which served as a source of carrageenan is the
C. crispus which is commonly referred to as Irish moss. It naturally occurs in
France, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and eastern coast of Canada. Other species from
which carrageenan is sourced are Irideae, Gigartina and Eucheuma which grow
in Chile, Spain and the Philippines, respectively, as additional species to source
carrageenan became necessary as demand for carrageenan grew. Today, the red
127
6.4 Availability of Raw Materials
Carrageenan is sourced from red algae (Rhodophyta), which is one of the three
main types of seaweeds. Seaweeds are grown commercially in 35 countries of the
world; as of 2003, the seaweed industry was valued at an estimated 5.5–6 billion
USD annually (McHugh 2003). Of this estimated value, about 1 billion occurs from
hydrocolloids production from seaweed with carrageenan being one of such. The
majority of seaweed production still goes toward direct consumption by humans as
food, while a smaller portion goes toward other miscellaneous uses such as fertilizers
and additives in animal feed. Species such as Undaria pinnatifida, Caulerpa spp. and
Porphyra spp. which are dominant in Eastern and Southeastern Asia are produced
mainly for direct consumption as food (FAO 2018).
As of 1995, 13.5 million tonnes of seaweed was reportedly produced globally
(McHugh 2003). This rose to over 30 million tonnes by 2016 (FAO 2018). The
seaweed production output is currently led by China and Indonesia. China’s seaweed
production rose from near 11 million tonnes in 2010 to over 14 million tonnes by
2016. Indonesia’s seaweed production rose from 4 million tonnes in 2010 to well over
11 million tonnes by 2016. Indonesia produces mainly K. alvarezii and Eucheuma
spp. which are the main sources for carrageenan production. Globally, Eucheuma spp.
is currently the highest produced seaweed species with output rising from 3.5 million
tonnes in 2010 to 10.5 million tonnes in 2016. K. alvarezii comes in as the fifth highest
output increasing from 1.2 million tonnes in 2010 to 1.5 million tonnes in 2016 (FAO
2018).
In 2018, FAO lists China, Indonesia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Chile, Solomon
Islands, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and India, as the major seaweed producers in the world (FAO 2018). However, there exists a large gap between the output
quantities, ranging from over 14 million tonnes produced by the top producer, China,
to 3 thousand tonnes produced by India, the lowest producer. Seaweed production
by far predominates over aquatic plant production globally. This can be attributed to
their significant role as highly nutritious food, potential medicinal applications and
increasing interest in cultivating them for biofuel production.
Seaweeds grow in a variety of conditions from cold to warm such that they can
grow in different parts of the world from northern to Southern Hemisphere. About
7.5–8 million tonnes of seaweed is harvested annually on wet basis. These are either
obtained from wild-growing stocks or cultivated in seaweed farms (McHugh 2003).
Using artificial growth systems which replicate the sea conditions, seaweeds are
being commercially grown even in the middle of the desert.
The earliest red seaweed species which served as a source of carrageenan is the
C. crispus which is commonly referred to as Irish moss. It naturally occurs in
France, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and eastern coast of Canada. Other species from
which carrageenan is sourced are Irideae, Gigartina and Eucheuma which grow
in Chile, Spain and the Philippines, respectively, as additional species to source
carrageenan became necessary as demand for carrageenan grew. Today, the red