Nutraceuticals: Demand rises for macroalgal bioactives
A new paper reports the considerable global attention that macroalgal compounds continue to command for inclusion in nutraceuticals and functional foods. The 2026 review focuses on the mechanisms, functional applications and challenges presented by a range of algal bioactives.
Polysaccharides, including fucoidans, are well represented in the review with particular attention given to their well-researched anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition to describing the bioactive properties of fucoidans, the authors also explore the range techniques utilised for extracting macroalgal compounds, noting that green chemistry methods often produce extracts with higher concentrations of bioactive compounds compared to conventional methods. They reported that “this characteristic is particularly important for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory applications, where biological efficacy is closely linked to the concentration, structural integrity, and synergistic interactions of multiple compounds present in the extract.”
Notably, the review explains that the effective use of macroalgal bioactives is dependent on efficient cultivation, extraction and processing strategies that preserve their bioactivity and ensure consistent product quality. The authors concluded that macroalgal bioactive compounds are a promising class of sustainable health-promoting ingredients.
Macroalgal-derived bioactive compounds as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients for food and nutraceutical industry: Mechanisms, functional applications, and challenges’ was published in Marine Drugs.