March 13, 2012 – The marine nutraceutical industry is booming in Europe and Asia, and it has taken off in recent years in Canada as well. While the industry is still in its infancy in the United States, University of Rhode Island researcher Chong Lee says that with a little federal research support, it could become a growth industry.
Lee, a professor emeritus of food sciences, describes nutraceuticals as a cross between pharmaceuticals and nutrition, something that "provides health benefits above and beyond traditional nutrients. The nutraceutical market is dominated by terrestrial sources, like cranberries that provide antioxidants. Marine nutraceuticals are something new, and now it is getting a lot more attention," he said.
The URI food scientist says that the "big ticket item" among marine nutraceuticals is fish oil, which contains omega 3 fatty acids that provide cardiovascular disease risk reductions, immune function improvements, brain health, and reductions in inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis. Most fish oil products are derived from anchovies and sardines caught in the waters off Peru and Chile.
In Rhode Island, seaweed could play a role in the nutraceutical industry, as some varieties are a source of compounds beneficial to human and animal health. One species of seaweed called rockweed (Ascopyllum nodosum) that Lee is studying is abundant along the coast of New England and is already being used as an agricultural fertilizer and as an additive to animal feeds. Lee says it also has bioactive components that are useful in managing weight, lowering cholesterol and slowing the digestion of sugars and carbohydrates.