Gracilaria Production Overview

Gracilaria or Gracilariopsis are red seaweeds that occur in both temperate and tropical environments. Some Gracilaria species have very important economic value and are farmed primarily for agar extraction or abalone feed. Gracilaria spp. make up the third largest farmed seaweed in terms of production volumes globally and have experienced the  strongest growth over the last decade. 

Common name: Irish moss, Gracilaria, ogonori

Scientific name of main commercial species: Gracilariaopsis lemaneiformis, Gracilaria chilensis, Gracilaria gigas and Gracilariopsis longissima

Group: Red seaweeds (Rhodophyta)

There are 284 identified species worldwide. The main commercially cultivated Gracilaria species are known to be fairly robust crops, that can cope with a wide range of temperatures and tolerate salinity fluctuations from 15 to 50 ppt comparatively well. The most common species used for agar extraction is the high temperature-resistant strain of Gp. lemaneiformis.

Aquaculture feed
Gracilaria species are used for feed by the continuously growing abalone industry, especially in China, since they have been shown to improve the relative growth and survival rate of abalone.

Hydrocolloids (Agar)
Gracilaria are responsible for over 90% of the global production of agar, a hydrocolloid which has multiple uses in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries; including as a gelling agent, thickener, stabiliser and emulsifying agent. 

For example, agar can replace animal gelatin in  dairy products and pharmaceuticals or serve as a source of dietary fibres for weight management, edible packaging and biodegradable packaging.  

Direct food
Gracilaria have been consumed for millennia in China, Japan and the Republic of Korea as food for human consumption, due to their high nutritional value. Today, the major consumers are Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.