The green seaweed Ulva: tomorrow's "wheat of the sea" in foods, feeds, nutrition, and biomaterials

Laurie C Hofmann^{1

2}, Sylvia Strauss³, Muki Shpigel⁴, Lior Guttman^{5

6}, Dagmar B Stengel⁷, Céline Rebours⁸, Natasha Gjorgovska⁹, Gamze Turan¹⁰, Karina Balina^{11

12}, Gabrielle Zammit¹³, Jessica M M Adams¹⁴, Umair Ahsan^{15

16}, Angela G Bartolo¹⁷, John J Bolton¹⁸, Rosário Domingues^{19

20}, Ömerhan Dürrani²¹, Orhan Tufan Eroldogan^{22

23}, Andreia Freitas^{24

25}, Alexander Golberg²⁶, Kira I Kremer²⁷, Francisca Marques^{19

20}, Massimo Milia²⁸, Sophie Steinhagen²⁹, Ekin Sucu³⁰, Liliana Vargas-Murga³¹, Shiri Zemah-Shamir³², Ziv Zemah-Shamir³³, Antonio J Meléndez-Martínez³⁴

Affiliations

¹ Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.
² Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, Bremerhaven, Germany.
³ The Seaweed Company, Schiedam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
⁵ The National Center for Mariculture, Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Eilat, Israel.
⁶ Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
⁷ Botany and Plant Science, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
⁸ Møreforsking AS, Ålesund, Norway.
⁹ Institute of Animal Science and Fishery, University Ss Ciril and Methodius in Skopje, Skopje, North Macedonia.
¹⁰ Aquaculture Department, Fisheries Faculty, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Türkiye.
¹¹ Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
¹² Institute of Science and Innovative Technologies, Liepaja University, Liepaja, Latvia.
¹³ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
¹⁴ Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK.
¹⁵ Department of Plant and Animal Production, Burdur Vocational School of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkiye.
¹⁶ Center for Agriculture, Livestock and Food Research, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkiye.
¹⁷ Environment & Resources Authority, Marsa, MRS, Malta.
¹⁸ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.
¹⁹ Department of Chemistry, Lipidomics Laboratory, Mass Spectrometry Centre, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, Aveiro, Portugal.
²⁰ Department of Chemistry, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, Aveiro, Portugal.
²¹ Department of Fisheries Technology Engineering, Faculty of Marine Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Türkiye.
²² Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, Adana, Türkiye.
²³ Biotechnology Research and Application Center, Cukurova University, Adana, Türkiye.
²⁴ National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV), Rua dos Lágidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vila do Conde, Portugal.
²⁵ REQUIMTE/LAQV, R. D. Manuel II, Oporto, Portugal.
²⁶ Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
²⁷ Marine Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
²⁸ Department of Life and Environmental Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
²⁹ Department of Marine Sciences, Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, Strömstad, Sweden.
³⁰ Department of Animal Science, Agricultural Faculty, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
³¹ Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, Polytechnic School, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain.
³² School of Sustainability, Reichman University (IDC Herzliya), Herzliya, Israel.
³³ Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
³⁴ Facultad de Farmacia, Food Colour and Quality Laboratory, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.

PMID: 38979936
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2024.2370489

Free article

Review

The green seaweed Ulva: tomorrow's "wheat of the sea" in foods, feeds, nutrition, and biomaterials

Laurie C Hofmann et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2025.

Free article

. 2025;65(19):3728-3763.

doi: 10.1080/10408398.2024.2370489. Epub 2024 Jul 9.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.
² Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, Bremerhaven, Germany.
³ The Seaweed Company, Schiedam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
⁵ The National Center for Mariculture, Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Eilat, Israel.
⁶ Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
⁷ Botany and Plant Science, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
⁸ Møreforsking AS, Ålesund, Norway.
⁹ Institute of Animal Science and Fishery, University Ss Ciril and Methodius in Skopje, Skopje, North Macedonia.
¹⁰ Aquaculture Department, Fisheries Faculty, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Türkiye.
¹¹ Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
¹² Institute of Science and Innovative Technologies, Liepaja University, Liepaja, Latvia.
¹³ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
¹⁴ Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK.
¹⁵ Department of Plant and Animal Production, Burdur Vocational School of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkiye.
¹⁶ Center for Agriculture, Livestock and Food Research, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkiye.
¹⁷ Environment & Resources Authority, Marsa, MRS, Malta.
¹⁸ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa.
¹⁹ Department of Chemistry, Lipidomics Laboratory, Mass Spectrometry Centre, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, Aveiro, Portugal.
²⁰ Department of Chemistry, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, Aveiro, Portugal.
²¹ Department of Fisheries Technology Engineering, Faculty of Marine Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Türkiye.
²² Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Cukurova University, Adana, Türkiye.
²³ Biotechnology Research and Application Center, Cukurova University, Adana, Türkiye.
²⁴ National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV), Rua dos Lágidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vila do Conde, Portugal.
²⁵ REQUIMTE/LAQV, R. D. Manuel II, Oporto, Portugal.
²⁶ Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Porter School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
²⁷ Marine Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
²⁸ Department of Life and Environmental Science, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
²⁹ Department of Marine Sciences, Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, Strömstad, Sweden.
³⁰ Department of Animal Science, Agricultural Faculty, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey.
³¹ Department of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering and Agrifood Technology, Polytechnic School, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain.
³² School of Sustainability, Reichman University (IDC Herzliya), Herzliya, Israel.
³³ Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
³⁴ Facultad de Farmacia, Food Colour and Quality Laboratory, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.

PMID: 38979936
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2024.2370489

Abstract

Ulva, a genus of green macroalgae commonly known as sea lettuce, has long been recognized for its nutritional benefits for food and feed. As the demand for sustainable food and feed sources continues to grow, so does the interest in alternative, plant-based protein sources. With its abundance along coastal waters and high protein content, Ulva spp. have emerged as promising candidates. While the use of Ulva in food and feed has its challenges, the utilization of Ulva in other industries, including in biomaterials, biostimulants, and biorefineries, has been growing. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current status, challenges and opportunities associated with using Ulva in food, feed, and beyond. Drawing on the expertise of leading researchers and industry professionals, it explores the latest knowledge on Ulva's nutritional value, processing methods, and potential benefits for human nutrition, aquaculture feeds, terrestrial feeds, biomaterials, biostimulants and biorefineries. In addition, it examines the economic feasibility of incorporating Ulva into aquafeed. Through its comprehensive and insightful analysis, including a critical review of the challenges and future research needs, this review will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in sustainable aquaculture and Ulva's role in food, feed, biomaterials, biostimulants and beyond.

Keywords: Ulva; aquafeed; biomaterials; biorefinery; feed; food; nutrition; seaweed.

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The green seaweed Ulva: tomorrow's "wheat of the sea" in foods, feeds, nutrition, and biomaterials

Affiliations

The green seaweed Ulva: tomorrow's "wheat of the sea" in foods, feeds, nutrition, and biomaterials

Authors

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