Macroalgae: Current Applications in Daily Life and Prospects for the Future

Abstract

During the last centuries, marine macroalgae have been traditionally used by populations from worldwide coastal areas, especially in Asian countries, as food, feed, medicinal, or components of compost and soil fertilizer in agricultural practices. Marine macroalgae play a crucial role in the aquatic trophic chain with ecological relevance in oxygen production, carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration, nutrient recycling, and are used as food source habitat for many other organisms, while enhancing water quality, providing several ecosystem services. They are capable of inhabiting in shallow waters at the edge of the world’s oceans, under severe conditions. For this reason, they are able to produce bioactive substances (secondary metabolites) for defense against different stressors (e.g., predators, epiphytes, UV radiation, temperature, and salinity fluctuations). Thus, the interest in macroalgae and their by-products is increasing, as they provide valuable raw material and compounds that are already applied in many products and industries (e.g., pharmaceutical, biomedical, food, feed nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and agriculture), being present in daily products. However, the scientific community is committed to tackle current issues with the development of new products based on marine macroalgae with industrial applications.