High-pressure processing of seaweed: Impacts on safety, physicochemical properties, and nutrient extraction
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Seaweeds are gaining recognition as sustainable resources due to their high nutritional value and potential for diverse applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. However, conventional post-harvest processing often induces severe nutrient degradation and structural damage, ultimately limiting macroalgal utilization. This review evaluates high pressure processing (HPP) as a novel, non-thermal intervention designed to overcome these persistent challenges. By utilizing extreme isostatic pressure (100–600 MPa), HPP effectively disrupts the rigid macroalgal cell wall architecture, facilitating the targeted recovery of high-value bioactives including species-specific polysaccharides, thermolabile proteins, and antioxidants while simultaneously ensuring microbial safety and heavy metal removal. Rather than presenting HPP as a universally superior method, this review critically synthesizes the thermodynamic mechanisms driving extraction discrepancies across diverse taxonomic groups, offering a framework for optimizing HPP within a cascading, zero-waste marine biorefinery.. HPP achieves these outcomes while maintaining low energy consumption and avoiding the thermal degradation of sensitive compounds, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional thermal processing. This review underscores the potential of HPP as a transformative technology for seaweed processing, supporting global efforts toward cleaner production practices. Its adoption can drive the development of sustainable food systems, reduce environmental impacts, and contribute to the circular economy by maximizing the value of seaweed-based products.
Source: Applied Food Research
Institution: Universiti Sains Malaysia
Language: English
Subfield: Biotechnology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,050
Award: G7120329036
OpenAlex ID: W7211908750