Cultivo de macroalga <i>gracilaria fortissima</i> para la extracción del agar

Abstract

In the last 20 years, the rate of growth in the use of macroalgae has increased considerably, making them a potential raw material with various industrial applications, especially in the food industry. They are a large and diverse group of multicellular protists that are commonly found in different marine regions of the world, depending on the type of pigment they possess; being the Rhodophyta, Gracilaria fortissima the most widely used in the extraction of agar, thanks to the great diversity of bioactive compounds (antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamins, carotenoids and minerals), macronutrients (such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins) and trace elements (among which manganese, iron, cobalt, selenium, zinc and nickel) that they possess; In addition, all these compounds can be increased as an adaptive response to extreme environmental conditions, such as salinity, radiation, temperature; in the same way, it has been confirmed that the exudates present antimicrobial activity, thus inhibiting those microbial pathogens that can harm their development. The objective of the study is the cultivation of Gracilaria Fortissima macroalgae for the extraction of agar, this being a derivative of vegetable origin, a natural gelatifying agent, used for its great properties and benefits for human health.