Introduction

A process using green chemistry principles has been developed to extract the bioactive polysaccharide Fucoidan from brown seaweed with high yield. Further, a microencapsulated formulation of seaweed Fucoidan extract was developed. Preclinical studies showed excellent cardioprotective activity. Using Fucoidan seaweed extract was further formulated as a Seaweed Gargle to ameliorate throat infection. Using seaweed extracted Carrageenan Oligomers a hand sanitizer was developed. Carrageenan oligomers have been known for antiviral activity in scientific literature.  

The optimised process resulted in a seaweed extract that was rich in fucoidan and micronutrients. The extract has been completely characterised using chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. Fucoidan is a high-value polysaccharide with known health benefits and applications in nutraceuticals and cosmetic products. No harmful organic solvents were used for the production of the extract. The extract was further freeze-dried to produce crude fucoidan.

All three technologies has been commercialised.

Brief Methodology: Seaweed extract obtained through sequential enzymatic extraction, was pooled with hot water extract of green tea and emulsified using maltodextrin-whey protein. The homogenized emulsion was then subjected to spray drying to obtain a microencapsulated seaweed and green tea extract dietary supplement. Addition of green tea extract was intended to improve flavour and antioxidant potential of the formulation. The bioactivity was established in preclinical animal model where the supplement ameliorates Isoprenaline induced cardiac oxidative stress. The Fucoidan extract was formulated in a Gargle product to ameliorate throat infection.

Similarly, enzymatically extracted Carrageenan from Kappaphycus was hydrolysed using dilute organic acids to produce Kappaphycus oligomers. The Oligomers were formulated into a hand sanitizer.

Key benefits: Uniqueness of the technology in comparison to existing ones: The technology do not use any hazardous organic solvent and the extracts are prepared using green chemistry techniques. Moreover an emulsification process was optimised to co-encapsulation of seaweed and green tea extracts for better handling, and delivery.

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