serving as a basis for industrial production since 1938. Today, around 15 factories
are in operation, including one each in the United Kingdom, United States, Norway,
and Chile; two each in France and Japan; and various larger and smaller ones in
China. Altogether, around 35,000 tons of alginic acid is being produced throughout
the world.
The current Korean alginic acid market stands at around 3500 tons a year.
Around 3300 tons are reportedly used for printing, 100 tons for food, and 60 tons
for machine industry. All of it is produced by a single company (Rowley et al.
1999; Davis et al. 2003; Nickerson and Paulson 2004; Iwamoto et al. 2005; Augst
et al. 2006; George and Abraham 2006; Klemmer et al. 2012; Lee and Mooney
2012).
Mimetic diagram of alginic acid block structure (Table 6.11).
B. Uses of alginic acid
Applications in Food-Related Areas: Alginic acid is recognized by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for general food consumption, a standard
that is also applied in South Korea.
Alginic acid is used in food because it possesses properties such as water
retention, gelling, and thickening stabilization. As Table 6.12 shows, it has a broad
range of uses in foods that take advantage of these characteristics, and is used in the
forms of propylene glycol alginate, sodium alginate, and alginic acid. While it is not
indicated in the table, alginic acid is also used for the membranes of artificial
salmon roe, which is created by suspending encapsulation in alginic acid soda slime
and lowering it into congealing solution from a suitable height. Additionally,
alginic acid is used in producing fibrous proteins. Its fiber plasticity is used to spin
protein mixtures and create fibrous protein products. Examples include the production of artificial fibrous meats mixed with proteins from sardines, krill, plasma,
and casein.
(1) Applications in Medical-Related Areas
1. Tooth mold framework production: As shown in Table 6.13, alginic acid is
used when making molds for false teeth. Agar, a polysaccharide derived
from red algae, may also be used as an impression agent for these molds.
Table 6.13 shows the constituents of these impression agents. They are
referred to as mixed impression materials. Agar impression agents are often
used for the inner tooth mold and alginic acid impression agents for the
outer mold, though they may also be used independently.
2. Pharmaceutical coating: Alginic acid is used as a coating or styptic agent
when treating ulcers in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
3. Surgical thread: Alginic acid is also used in stitches applied after surgery.
In such cases, the stitches do not need to be removed. It is also used as a
dispersing agent for refined components.
6.8 Industrial Applications of Seaweeds
175
are in operation, including one each in the United Kingdom, United States, Norway,
and Chile; two each in France and Japan; and various larger and smaller ones in
China. Altogether, around 35,000 tons of alginic acid is being produced throughout
the world.
The current Korean alginic acid market stands at around 3500 tons a year.
Around 3300 tons are reportedly used for printing, 100 tons for food, and 60 tons
for machine industry. All of it is produced by a single company (Rowley et al.
1999; Davis et al. 2003; Nickerson and Paulson 2004; Iwamoto et al. 2005; Augst
et al. 2006; George and Abraham 2006; Klemmer et al. 2012; Lee and Mooney
2012).
Mimetic diagram of alginic acid block structure (Table 6.11).
B. Uses of alginic acid
Applications in Food-Related Areas: Alginic acid is recognized by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for general food consumption, a standard
that is also applied in South Korea.
Alginic acid is used in food because it possesses properties such as water
retention, gelling, and thickening stabilization. As Table 6.12 shows, it has a broad
range of uses in foods that take advantage of these characteristics, and is used in the
forms of propylene glycol alginate, sodium alginate, and alginic acid. While it is not
indicated in the table, alginic acid is also used for the membranes of artificial
salmon roe, which is created by suspending encapsulation in alginic acid soda slime
and lowering it into congealing solution from a suitable height. Additionally,
alginic acid is used in producing fibrous proteins. Its fiber plasticity is used to spin
protein mixtures and create fibrous protein products. Examples include the production of artificial fibrous meats mixed with proteins from sardines, krill, plasma,
and casein.
(1) Applications in Medical-Related Areas
1. Tooth mold framework production: As shown in Table 6.13, alginic acid is
used when making molds for false teeth. Agar, a polysaccharide derived
from red algae, may also be used as an impression agent for these molds.
Table 6.13 shows the constituents of these impression agents. They are
referred to as mixed impression materials. Agar impression agents are often
used for the inner tooth mold and alginic acid impression agents for the
outer mold, though they may also be used independently.
2. Pharmaceutical coating: Alginic acid is used as a coating or styptic agent
when treating ulcers in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
3. Surgical thread: Alginic acid is also used in stitches applied after surgery.
In such cases, the stitches do not need to be removed. It is also used as a
dispersing agent for refined components.
6.8 Industrial Applications of Seaweeds
175