Seaweed Phenolics as Natural Antioxidants, Aquafeed Additives, Veterinary Treatments and Cross-Linkers for Microencapsulation

Driven by consumer demand and government policies, synthetic additives in aquafeed require substitution with sustainable and natural alternatives. Seaweeds have been shown to be a sustainable marine source of novel bioactive phenolic compounds that can be used in food, animal and aqua feeds, or microencapsulation applications. For example, phlorotannins are a structurally unique polymeric phenolic group exclusively found in brown seaweed that act through multiple antioxidant mechanisms. Seaweed phenolics show high affinities for binding proteins via covalent and non-covalent bonds and can have specific bioactivities due to their structures and associated physicochemical properties. Their ability to act as protein cross-linkers means they can be used to enhance the rheological and mechanical properties of food-grade delivery systems, such as microencapsulation, which is a new area of investigation illustrating the versatility of seaweed phenolics. Here we review how seaweed phenolics can be used in a range of applications, with reference to their bioactivity and structural properties.

Automated summary

Driven by consumer demand and government policies, the use of synthetic additives in aquafeed needs to be replaced with sustainable and natural alternatives. Seaweeds, as a sustainable marine source, contain bioactive phenolic compounds that can be used in various applications such as food, animal feed, aqua feeds, or microencapsulation. Seaweed phenolics, specifically phlorotannins found in brown seaweed, have unique structures and multiple antioxidant mechanisms. They can bind to proteins through covalent and non-covalent bonds, exhibiting specific bioactivities. Additionally, they can enhance the rheological and mechanical properties of food-grade delivery systems, showing the versatility of seaweed phenolics.