Tropical Seaweeds as a Sustainable Resource Towards Circular Bioeconomy: Insights and Way Forward.

ABSTRACT

Seaweeds are photosynthetic marine macroalgae known for their rapid biomass growth and their significant contributions to global food and feed production. Seaweeds play a crucial role in mitigating various environmental issues, including greenhouse gases, ocean acidification, hypoxia, and eutrophication. Tropical seaweeds are typically found in tropical and subtropical coastal zones with warmer water temperatures and abundant sunlight. These tropical seaweeds are rich sources of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibers, polysaccharides, and bioactive compounds, contributing to their health-promoting properties and their diverse applications across a range of industries. The productivity, cultivability, nutritional quality, and edibility of tropical seaweeds have been well-documented. This review article begins with an introduction to the growth conditions of selected tropical seaweeds. Subsequently, the multifunctional properties of tropical seaweeds including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, anti-carcinogenic and anti-proliferative, anti-viral, therapeutic and preventive properties were comprehensively evaluated. The potential application of tropical seaweeds as functional foods and feeds, as well as their contributions to sustainable cosmetics, bioenergy, and biofertilizer production were also highlighted. This review serves as a valuable resource for researchers involved in seaweed farming as it provides current knowledge and insights into the cultivation and utilization of seaweeds.