Carrageenan From Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta, Solieriaceae): Metabolism, Structure, Production, and Application

Abstract

Carrageenan is a polysaccharide derived from red algae (seaweed) with enormous economic potential in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, printing, and textiles. Carrageenan is primarily produced through aquaculture-based seaweed farming, withEucheumaandKappaphycusspecies accounting for more than 90% of global output. There are three major types of carrageenan found in red algae: kappa (κ)-, iota (ι)-, and lambda (λ)-carrageenan.Kappaphycus alvareziiis the most common kappa-carrageenan source, and it is primarily farmed in Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Carrageenan extracted fromK. alvareziihas recently received a lot of attention due to its economic potential in a wide range of applications. This review will discussK. alvareziicarrageenan in terms of metabolic and physicochemical structure, extraction methods and factors affecting production yield, as well as current and future applications.