abstract
The wide industrial application of phycocolloids (e.g. alginates, agar and carrageenans) is based on their particular properties to form gels in aqueous solution. These seaweed polysaccharides present a chemical structure related with the taxonomic position of the algae: carrageenans are produced by carrageenophytes (red algae belonging mainly to the genera Kappaphycus, Eucheuma, Chondrus, Gigartina and Chondracanthus). Recently, new spectroscopic techniques have provided more accurate identification of the natural composition of the polysaccharides produced by these seaweeds. With the combination of two spectroscopic techniques (FTIR-ATR and FT-Raman) it is possible to identify the principal seaweed colloids in ground seaweed samples as in extracted material. Since the seaweed samples receive the minimum of handling and treatment (e.g. they are simply dried and ground), the composition determined represents, as accurately as possible, the native composition of the phycocolloids. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
keywords
CARRAGEENAN; GIGARTINACEAE; GALACTANS
subject category
Chemistry; Food Science & Technology
authors
Pereira, L; Amado, AM; Critchley, AT; van de Velde, F; Ribeiro-Claro, PJA
our authors
Maria de Lourdes Gomes Pereira
Associate Professor with Aggregation
Paulo Ribeiro-Claro
Associate Professor with AggregationGroups
G5 - Biomimetic, Biological and Living Materials
G6 - Virtual Materials and Artificial Intelligence
acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology - IMAR-CMA (institute of Marine Research), Unidade de Quimica-Fisica Molecular and Laboratorio Associado CICECO.