MacroCat – Biocatalytic refining of polysaccharides from macroalgae – new markets

MACROCAT will help expanding the product portfolio of emerging seaweed biorefineries and potential end-users by introducing new innovative products that can be generated by microbial conversion and enzymatic processing. This will promote and further advance the utilization of sustainable natural biomass resource, the seaweeds and advance technical and economic development and value creation by the Blue Growth industry in the Nordic countries.

Seaweeds are a source of various primary products, including a great diversity of polysaccharides that can be extracted in appreciable amounts. Technologies for bulk cultivation of macroalgae are also being developed, which will increase capabilities to meet industrial demands with regard to particular seaweed species, volume, and carbohydrate composition. Currently, seaweed polysaccharides are mainly utilized as hydrocolloids in foods and certain pharmaceutical applications, and as minor ingredients in food, feed, and cosmetics. However, recent research shows that the different seaweed polysaccharides possess a range of highly beneficial biological activities to help prevent chronic and degenerative diseases. MACROCAT looks beyond the current market position of the seaweed industry- and will advocate the high potential value of biocatalytic refining processes to deliver tailormade, high value seaweed polysaccharide products for new market sections, especially in health and pharma.

MACROCAT will help advance the seaweed processing platform towards a mature biorefinery for eventual bulk production of variety of high value health-promoting biomolecules, platform chemicals for the chemical industry and biofuels. So far, progress has been hampered by the lack of suitable bioconversion tools, enzymes and microbes, in terms of substrate processing range and product possibilities. This picture has been changing in recent years and new opportunities arising. MACROCAT will help strengthen and expand potentials of existing seaweed processing industries in the Nordic countries with their long shorelines and access to vast sea areas for off-shore cultivation of macroalgae. The consortium is in the forefront of developing enzymes and enzymatic processes for refining seaweed polysaccharides to innovative added value products. The provision of well-defined and uniform products will also help document and understand the mechanisms underlying the beneficial activities. The group has been taking part in major international projects of seaweed utilization focusing on biocatalytic conversion of polysaccharides to value added derivatives.

HOVEDPARTNER:

Matís, Island, Guðmundur Hreggviðsson, gudmundo@matis.is

ANDRE PARTNERE:

Technical University of Denmark, (DTU), Denmark, Principal investigator (PI): Prof Anne S. Meyer Head, Protein Chemistry and Enzyme Technology Division DTU Bioengineering Dept. of Biotechnology and Biomedicine

Lund University, (LUND), Sweden. PI: Prof Eva Nordberg Karlsson, Head of Division of Biotechnology at Lund University

LL – Bioeconomy, (LL), Denmark, an advisory and research SME in green and blue biotech. PI: Prof Lene Lange. CEO of LL. Lene is a member of the EU-Commission expert group on the review of the Bioeconomy Strategy and its Action Plan & Member of the Scientific Committee of BBI JU

Associate Partners:

Thorverk, Iceland, https://thorverk.is. Coastal seaweed harvesting and processing company

Seaweed Solutions, Norway, https://seaweedsolutions.com/ , Offshore Seaweed cultivation, and processing

ORF, Ocean rainforest, Faroe Islands,  https://www.oceanrainforest.com/ , Offshore Seaweed cultivation, and processing

Aventure AB, Sweden,  www.aventureab.com., A research-based company in the field of food , nutrition  and biotechnology. 

LactoBio, Denmark,  https://www.lactobio.com/pages/our-science, A research-based company in the field of skincare , and biotechnology. 

Støtte fra AG-Fisk:

DKK 575.000