ICAR Technologies: High-Value Nutraceutical and Nutritional Products from Seaweeds

The rich diversity of seaweeds in the Indian marine biosphere represents an untapped reservoir of bioactive compounds with valuable pharmaceutical and biomedical use. Over the last few years, the use of seaweeds for the development of new products and as a source for obtaining high-value compounds has attracted much interest from both food and pharmaceutical industries. The research team at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi developed a hitherto unraveled database of seaweeds with small molecular weight bioactive molecules to combat various life-threatening diseases. This subsequently paved the way for the development of several nutraceutical products for use against arthritis, type-2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism, osteoporosis, low immunity, and hypertension. The latest efforts in this line of research have yielded a seaweedbased probiotic nutraceutical and an anti-bacterial ointment. ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi with its expertise in post-harvest processing and value addition has developed several seaweed-based products with antiinflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer and immune-modulating properties. Their product range also includes several seaweed-based ready-to-eat products, which are gaining popularity. Lately, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the researchers to develop a sanitizer with seaweed as a constituent. Development of value-added products from underutilized seaweed species also has the potential to expand the opportunities for their downstream value chain augmentation, thereby boosting the livelihoods of resource-poor fisherfolk and budding entrepreneurs across the coastal belt. Coupled with a renewed policy Prefac