E!114857 Novel high-value ingredient based on fermented seaweed disrupting the food and nutraceutical markets

Seaweed is a sustainable and healthy raw material from the sea with the potential of taking a central role in human food and health products in Europe. SEAPRO will develop a breakthrough European-made fermentation process for sustainably cultivated seaweed using novel bacterial strains and optimized processing conditions resulting in enhanced health benefits and improved sensorial properties. The project covers the whole value chain from cultivation and fermentation of the raw material to development of food and nutraceutical products with fermented seaweed as ingredient. The project was kicked-off with a project meeting in Oslo in September. During the first months the focus has been on seeding and deploying seedlings for production of seaweed biomass to be used for the first SEAPRO harvest and test season in spring 2022. The work of screening various bacteria strains for their ability to grow on the cultivated seaweed has started and will continue until the harvest period.

SEAPRO will develop a breakthrough European-made fermentation process for sustainably cultivated seaweed (Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta) using novel bacterial strains and optimized processing condition resulting in enhanced health benefits (higher digestibility, pre-/probiotic, immunologic, appetite-reduction, vitamins, minerals) and improved sensorial properties (more umami, milder sea flavour, better mouthfeel). Seaweed is highly nutritious with the potential of taking a more central role in human food and health products. Seaweed is highly perishable, and state-of-the-art processing is non-optimized vs. the uncertain daily supply of high-quality raw material (weather and harvest fluctuations). Our new fermentation line will allow to promptly package & preserve the material on very high-quality standards and throughput. Using the unique abilities/cooperation of our strong consortium we will be the first mover to develop a large-scale fermented seaweed value chain – from cultivation to novel fermentation method, final product packaging and distribution. We will produce a unique product to target massive global demand of the food & nutraceutical markets with the following market approach: 1. Food industry (B2B): Companies (reported 288,000 producers in EU market) that buy fermented seaweed and use it as an ingredient/raw material for production and sales of mainstream consumer products through retail and Horeca sectors. Our novel fermentation approach offering optimal nutritional & taste properties will disrupt producers’ food item sales. 2. Nutraceutical consumers (B2C) demanding functional foods based on (fermented) seaweed whose EU market potential is expected to reach €9.3b by 2030.