ABSTRACT
The demand for seaweed is expected to significantly increase in the coming decades. Offshore seaweed cultivation systems are currently under development to close the gap of the growing demand for seaweed. In parallel, the biorefinery concept is an ecofriendly and sustainable seaweeds processes, for simultaneous production of food, biofuels chemicals, and highly valuable products. Today, the most abundant extracts from the seaweeds are the polysaccharides, which are unique in structure and function for each species. In this chapter, we discuss polysaccharides extracted from Laminaria sp., Kappaphycus sp., and Ulva sp., with a focus on their unique polysaccharide alginate, carrageenan, and ulvan. The production and hydrolysis methods such as an enzymatic hydrothermal, acidic, and ultrasound, are discussed. In addition, applications of these polysaccharides and their monosaccharides are highlighted for chemical, food, and energy production. Furthermore, the fundamental role of the seaweed associated bacteria is described, and their potential to improve seaweed cultivation and biorefinery is discussed.
