ABSTRACT
Emerging research evidence regarding the impact of diet on human health beyond the basic nutrition has aroused the curiosity of consumers. Marine based bioactive compounds, in particular, are believed to provide a number of health benefi ts. The marine ecosystem covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface but represents 95% of the biosphere with phenomenal biodiversity (Faulkner 1995). Therefore, marine bioactive compounds can be derived from a number of sources including marine plants, microorganisms and by-products of the fi sh industry. Many marine organisms live in complex, competitive and aggressive habitats exposed to extreme conditions and in adapting to new environmental surroundings, they produce a wide variety of biologically active secondary metabolites which cannot be found in other organisms. While the effect of these compounds on the human body may be very small over relatively short periods, they could contribute signifi cantly to health when they are consumed throughout one’s life as a part of the daily diet (Biesalski et al. 2009).
