Disrupting the Western food & Health paradigm with SeaweedQUEENSLAND SEAFOOD MARKETERS SYMPOSIUM 2018
Dr. Pia WinbergCEO Venus Shell SystemsCEO PhycoHealthHonorary FellowSchool of MedicineUniversity of [email protected]
WhySeaweed?$10B
Sustainable globalCrop
Carbon efficiency
opportunity
Underexploited resource in
the West
Future Health
Biomatrix materials
Non-binary platform of products
The customer is
excitedBut…..
Australia has unique opportunity
Fastest growing
crop
Nutritional potency
….requireseducationand
effectivemarketing
The rise of modern global seaweed crops
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Current global farmed seaweed production
outweighs other aquaculture production…
but it is mostly in Asia and the west is far
behind.
1970
1980
2000
2010
2020
2030
GlobalSeaweed
ProductionThefutureis
greenseaweed
BrownKelp
Redseaweeds
A history of seaweed crops That started in the 1940s:
• Rise of the reds• Base is brown• Future is green
Species&
Nutritionalopportunities2009
Retrospective strategy for Australia since 2009 –
All of our RIRDC/AgriFutures research reports since 2009 can be sought at: http://www.agrifutures.com.au/publications-
resources/publications/ AND entering the search term “seaweed”
Targetmarkets,industry
strategyandcoordination2011
Australiannetworking
acrossengaged
Industrypartners2011
Culturetrialswith
selectedAustralianspecies2013
Bestpractisetowards
standardsfor
Australianseaweed2017
GlobalStatus&
Australianopportunity
&position2011
Industrial Ecology System
VSS Background – Vertically Integrated
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Vertically controlled production of natural molecular ingredients
From sun to bottle
Food Range
Skin Range
Supplements
Genetically
identified species
Controlled Source
Controlled Production
100 ton / ha
production
Proprietary Extraction Diverse
Fractions
But sustainability is not why
people buy seaweed?
Key marketing attribute: health
Second marketing attribute:
novelty and flavour
Vitam
ins
Pigments
GlycoFibre&Phenolics
Magnesium&Boron
Omega-3
Iron
Iodine
42%ManganeseRDI
65%ofyourBoron
71%ofIodineRDI
33%ofMagnesiumRDI
40%ofironRDI
Seaweed Trace Elements and the Irony of Iodine…..
….Select your species wisely
Seaweed ain’t seaweeds
• FRDCsupportedFish
namesprogramisnow
introducingseaweed(or
aquaticplants)naming
standards
• Publicconsultationonthis
willbehappeninginthe
nearfuture,andAustralia
isoneoftheleading
countriesinthisway.
Polysaccharidecategories repeatingunits
Extra
cellul
ar
matri
x
carageenans(galactans)
cellulose
mannans
xylans
glucose,mannose,xylose,
galactopyranose,
glucuronicacid,
alginicacid
fucoidan
fucose,uronicacids,
xylose,glucose,galactose,
guluronicacids
ulvans,
cellulose,
xyloglucan
rhamnose,glucose,
galactose,mannose,
xylan,uronicacids
(glucuronic&iduronic
acids)
SeaFibre diversity in seaweeds – different seaweeds are different
Winberg,P.C.,J.H.Fitton,etal.(2014).Controllingseaweedbiology,physiologyandmetabolictraitsinproductionfor
commerciallyrelevantbio-activesinglycobiology.AdvancesinBotanicalResearch.N.Bourgougnon,Elsevier.71:221-252.
REDSEAWEEDS
BROWNSEAWEEDS
GREENSEAWEEDS
Evencloselyrelatedspecieshave
differentSeaFibres
GlycoBiology
How does seaweed persist like this?
when other surfaces look like this…..
Intercellular Matrix•The Glue•The Connector•The mechanical properties•The defence
Gut Health & Current Clinical Trials
Dr.DanHarmelin
• ReducedCholesterol
• ReducedInflammation
• Shiftedgutfloratoincreasegood
bacterialikeBifidobacteria
• CaseStudyeffectonpsoriasisduetoreduced
inflammationfromthegut–asfeaturedintheCleverGutsDiet
For2years
priortotrial
Duringtrial3weeks
–bandagesoff
Aftertrial
–bandageson
Gut microbiome response
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SUPPLEMENTS
SKIN
FOOD
�1616
PhycoHealth marketing
Hot of the press: Seaweed & Skin ScaffoldsThe future of tissue regeneration with seaweed
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• Ourgreenseaweed
extractsarevery
similartothe
connectivetissuein
ourownskin.
• Allowsskincellsto
attachandthrive.
• Anti-inflammatory
action.
• Protectandbinds
collagen.
Wearemakingnewtherapeutic
productsfor
woundhealingandtissueregeneration,
butalsoincludingourseaweedextract
inanewrangeof
marineskincare
SEAWEED: EXPANDING THE WESTERN SEAFOOD PARADIGM