Food ingredients from the marine environment. Marine biotechnology meets food science and technology

Ioannis S Boziaris

doi:10.3389/fmars.2014.00066

Abstract

Marine environment disposes a plethora of bioactive compounds with unique properties and remarkable potential for biotechnological applications. A lot of those compounds can be used by the food industry as natural preservatives, pigments, stabilizers, gelling agents, etc., while others exhibits beneficial effects and can be used as functional food ingredients, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and prebiotics. Interdisciplinary approach is required to increase our knowledge, explore the potential of marine environment and produce value-added food for all.

Highlights

As food scientist/microbiologist I have the perception that the marine environment is just a source of food for humans, just like it happens for the terrestrial environment under the practices of agriculture
Marine environment contribution to human food supply is as old as human existence in the planet and still most of the anthropogenic activities take place around the world’s coasts
I realized that apart from the contribution of marine environment to the world’s food supply, the seas offer a far richer variety of useful constituents to be used in foods with a higher potential compared to the terrestrial environment

Summary

MARINE SCIENCE

Marine biotechnology meets food science and technology. Reviewed by: Laura Núñez Pons, University of Hawai’i at Manöa, USA Avinash Mishra, Central Scientific Industrial Research - Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute [CSMCRI], India. Marine environment affords a plethora of bioactive compounds with unique properties and remarkable potential for biotechnological applications. A lot of those compounds can be used by the food industry as natural preservatives, pigments, stabilizers, gelling agents, and others, while others exhibit beneficial effects and can be used as functional food ingredients, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and prebiotics. Interdisciplinary approach is required to increase our knowledge, explore the potential of marine environment and produce value-added food for all

INTRODUCTION

Seaweeds and other marine plants Marine environment

Findings

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activity