Philippines catch on while we do nothing

Lanao Norte farmers shift to seaweeds

January 23, 2011, 4:16pm

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte, Philippines – With the strong support of the Lanao del Norte provincial government, many local farmers and fishermen in the province have shifted to seaweed growing which they discovered to be not only more profitable but also less physically laborious, it was learned here recently.

Lanao del Norte Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo, with the technical assistance of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), recently implemented the Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency and Employment Program (CLEEP) for seaweed farming in the coastal towns of Kolambugan, Tubod, Maranding, Bacolod, Lala, and Karomatan.

Dimaporo said that in Kolambugan’s seaside village of Manga alone, at least 75 families initially became seaweed growers who received their seedlings from the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) in this capital town.

The positive impact of PAO’s initial seaweed distribution in Manga, Dimaporo said, prompted other local families to troop to this town to secure their own seedlings even as similar moves were later taken by other villagers from other coastal municipalities until the PAO could hardly cope with the demand for seaweed seedlings.

Dimaporo reported that the DoST recently allocated close to P1 million for the expansion of the local seaweed farming project to more than 300 new family beneficiaries.

He said the PAO has extended the distribution of more seaweed seedlings to recipient families in the villages Simbucao, Mukas,Tabigue, Manga, Pgcaranas, and Taguiguiron. (Tony Pe. Rimando)

HHMMM seaweed dosnt stink untill it rots

Around 15 million tonnes of cultivated wet seaweed are used each year by international seaweed manufacturers for products such as nutraceuticals and traditional Asian foods. Source: The Daily Telegraph

IT'S not mother nature's prettiest work and when it washes up on the beach it stinks but it could just be Australia's next cash cow.

A Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation report has identified a potential export market for seaweed. The global edible seaweed industry is worth $6 billion a year.

The algae is also used to produce pharmaceuticals, health foods and various agricultural products.

Report co-author and Wollongong University's Shoalhaven Marine and Freshwater Centre director Pia Winberg said Australia imported about $20 million of edible seaweed each year, most of it already processed.

One Australian company is already producing pharmaceuticals from seaweed and a Tasmanian firm is making agricultural products, but both rely on costly imports, she said.

Not only are our unpolluted waters perfect for growing seaweed, Australia is home to two types of nori, which is used to make sushi, and other native species have been found to contain cancer fighting and anti-diabetes properties, she said.

"We have a lot of very clean, untouched waters and we could be using that to target the very clean, green food markets.""It's probably the niche markets that will suit us," Dr Winberg said.

And the seaweed revolution might not be restricted to our pristine coastline. Our saline-affected countryside could also be used to grow seaweed.

"There's great potential for inland areas," she said.

"The problem is that inland salty waters can be quite different to sea water, with higher levels of iron and not as much potassium."

yer ok but fresh is best

Studies prompt interest in seaweed as salt replacer

By Jess Halliday, 19-Jan-2011

Related topics: Financial & Industry, Flavours and colours, Preservatives and acidulants

Interest in seaweed granules as a salt replacer has soared in the last year, according to the producer, as the first results of a UK government-funded study indicate high consumer acceptability of various bread in which it replaced 50 or 100 per cent of the salt.

The Outer Hebridean Seaweed Company, which produces Seagreens branded consumer products and ingredients from Arctic wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) attracted UK government funding funder the Food Innovation Project in 2007 to conduct research into the seaweed’s potential use as a salt replacer in consumer food products.

The positive findings on taste and preservation were presented at the Chester Food and Environmental Science Week in 2010, and have been accepted for publication in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology. Seaweed granules were successfully used to replace up to 100 per cent of the sodium chloride.

Simon Ranger, managing director of Seagreens, told FoodNavigator.com that interest from the food industry has mushroomed since the event in Chester. Its ingredient is distributed by Gee Lawson.

“At this stage we are sticking our head above the parapet for the first time,” saidRanger. “We started out specialty and organic, we are now becoming mainstream”.

He revealed that the company is talking to two of the top five UK supermarkets about using the seaweed granules in baked goods. There are many solutions on the market for reducing salt content in foods, including mineral complexes, as the industry is working to a tough mandate to reduce sodium chloride levels in packaged and prepared products.

But the good performance of the Seagreens granules is attributed to its “perfect balance of minerals”.

Ranger described it as “like an extremely rich and very balanced salt – which salt isn’t, it’s just sodium chloride”.

In addition, the polysaccharides in the seaweed have effect on shelf-life and preservation.

Some trials using Seagreens granules have also been conducted in meat products, like sausages, cheese, and ready meals, but the research with Sheffield Hallam focused on bread because that is where the most pressing need is for salt reduction solutions.

Study findings

The research with Sheffield Hallam, led by Dr Andrew Fairclough, concluded that“as well as maintaining the taste of the food, Seagreens dried granulated seaweed also helped to preserve it, potentially lengthening its shelf life in a similar way to salt”.

Fairclough’s team studied different forms of seaweed in different kinds of loaves, assessing bake and sensory qualities, and rheology. FoodNavigator.com has not seen the full results and methodology, but the initial communication indicates that wholemeal bread slices with 50:50 coarse seaweed granules:salt were preferred by 67 per cent of panellists to “normal salt control”.

Seventy five per cent of panellists preferred white bread with the sesaweed granules to the regular approach.

In sundried tomato and basil bread, the researchers were able to replace 100 per cent of the salt with Seagreens; in this case, there was only 0.3g sodium choloride per 100g bread.

Foundation

Seagreens set up an independent research foundation to conduct more research into seaweed in 2009, with Sheffield Hallam as the first partner.

Ranger’s company puts 20 per cent of ingredient sales into the foundation, representing a small contribution to research costs to be supplemented by government funding and other industry partners.

Ranger called it “a non-profit forum, to share the costs of doing research.”

He said that the main interest is in the role seaweed can play in nutrition, as it is “a wonderful, natural whole food”. In addition, he believes it could be used in foods for special diets, as seaweed contains the same nutrients as are present in wheat and milk, but without the allergens.

The foundation is experimenting with other forms of seaweed which have different properties and nutritional profiles – and which could prove useful either alone or in combination with others.

hay shela fancy some weed

Australian seaweed’s untapped potential

19 Jan, 2011 12:48 PM

NEXT time you get caught up in a mass of seaweed at your local beach these summer holidays, take some comfort in the fact you might be swimming through a potential export earner for the Australian agriculture industry.
A new report published today by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) highlights a number of local seaweed species that could be commercialised and marketed to overseas and domestic buyers.

Australia’s local seaweed industry represents only a fraction of the $US6billion global seaweed industry.

Around 15 million tonnes of cultivated wet seaweed are used each year by international seaweed manufacturers for products such as nutraceuticals and traditional Asian foods.

‘Seaweed cultivation pilot trials’ concludes there is untapped potential in smaller, high product value markets for nutritional and health applications that Australian seaweed producers could potentially take advantage of.

“Australia has a number of advantages when it comes to the development of a local seaweed industry,” RIRDC Managing Director, Craig Burns said.

“For example, our long and unpolluted coastline is very well suited to the production of high quality health and food products.

“Australia has the capacity and potential to undertake cutting-edge screening and development of healthy seaweed products, in particular, products with nutraceutical and anti-cancer applications.

“And, a potential Australian seaweed industry could be integrated into broader aquaculture industry markets such as abalone feed, or as an ingredient in nutritionally enhanced fish foods.

“Such integration has been shown overseas to be both technically and economically feasible, and sensible from an environmental perspective.

“The development of seaweed cultivation technology in coastal areas could also pave the way for new crops in large areas of saline affected agricultural land.

“Coastal communities in particular could benefit from the development of a local seaweed industry, particularly areas which have experienced reduced productivity in their fishing industries.”

Mr Burns said that whilst the report paints a positive picture for an Australian seaweed industry, it also identifies a number of challenges facing commercial production of seaweed.

For example, technology in Australia is still in its infancy and requires significant investment to take it to the next stage.

The report’s authors were Dr Pia Winberg, Dr Danielle Skropeta and Alex Ullrich.

Seaweed cultivation pilot trials is available on the RIRDC website www.rirdc.gov.au .

RIRDC

Source: http://www.rirdc.gov.au

BAD BAD MAN

Kelp taker under fresh scrutiny

Home » News » Dunedin

Wed, 19 Jan 2011

News: Dunedin | DCC | Fisheries | ORC

The man who has been harvesting seaweed from a south coast beach is being investigated by three authorities.

Simon Stott, who has been harvesting bladder kelp (Macrocystis) 1.6km south of Brighton beach for fertiliser, is now under investigation by the Ministry of Fisheries, the Otago Regional Council and the Dunedin City Council.

The investigations were sparked after Dunedin city councillor and Brighton resident Colin Weatherall raised concerns last week that Mr Stott had damaged sand dunes by driving over them with a 10-tonne truck and front-end loader to reach the beach.

At the time, Ministry of Fisheries fisheries officer John Kennedy told the Otago Daily Times the ministry believed Mr Stott was permitted to harvest bladder kelp under the ministry's quota system.

However, he contacted the ODT yesterday saying it now appeared Mr Stott might not be allowed to harvest seaweed and the ministry was investigating.

"There is no commercial beach-cast harvesting of any type of seaweed in the Brighton-Taieri Mouth area," he said.

The Otago Regional Council was also investigating, resource management director Dr Selva Selvarajah said yesterday.

Mr Stott did not have an ORC resource consent to remove seaweed, he said.

"We could prosecute or serve a $500 infringement notice.

"There is a rule for the removal of natural materials, such as sand, shells or seaweed.

"It is considered a permitted activity, but disturbing a coastal marine area has restrictions under the coastal plan and people should refer to the rules."

Staff were preparing a report which would be competed "shortly", he said.

Cr Weatherall said yesterday he had been told DCC staff were looking into the damage to the two beachfronts.

"The unauthorised encroachment of the roading reserve is under investigation," he said.

Both Cr Weatherall and Mr Kennedy said Mr Stott had not harvested at the beach since last week.

Mr Stott could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

Indonesia to become top global fish supplier and the world`s biggest seaweed producer.

Jakarta, Jan 17 (ANTARA) - Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad has the ambition not only to turn Indonesia into a top global fish supplier but also the world`s biggest seaweed producer.

Indonesia is striving to produce 10 million tons of seaweed per by 2015, making it the number one producing country, replacing the Philippines.

"We are trying to increase seaweed production on a mass scale to enable Indonesia to become the biggest seaweed producer in the world," Minister Fadel Muhammad said when speaking in the Third Seaweed International Business Forum and Exhibition (Seabfex) in Surabaya, East Java, July 2010.

Fadel was optimistic that in the next two years the target might partly be achieved especially in view of the vast seaweed cultivating grounds in Indonesia`s eastern parts, like East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Maluku, and North Maluku.

Indonesia, a maritime country having the world`s second longest coastal line, has very big potential in the production of seaweed, which is relatively easy to cultivate as it takes only 45 days to fully grow.

Seaweed is in very high demand in the international markets, especially as a raw material for the production of food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Seaweed is also good fertilizer and is currently under consideration as a potential source of bioethanol.

In line with the planned seaweed production increase, the minister would also want to see many more seaweed processing factories to be built in the country in the next two years in order to boost exports of processed seaweed products. Currently, Indonesia has around 23 seaweed producing companies.

For that purpose, Minister Fadel has urged banking circles to provide smallholder credits for seaweed farmers.

"Without the credits, I think it would be rather difficult to develop seaweed," he said.

Regarding Indonesia`s plan to mainly process seaweed at home, Prof Dr Jana Anggardiredja, the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT)`s deputy for natural resource development technology, last March said a lot of researches were needed to raise the target of seaweed processed products from 20 kinds to 50.

Prof Jana, concurrently Chairman of the Indonesian Sea Weed Society, said almost all of the Gracilaria sp seaweed production has been absorbed at home because there has already been a gelatin plant, which is the world`s biggest, in the country.

"In the future we must process it more or, if possible, totally at home," he said.

He pointed out that China whose sea did not produce seaweeds had many seaweed processing industries and therefore needed a lot of seaweed as the raw materials from Indonesia.

The world`s demand for carrgeenin in 2006 reached 40,000 metric tons a year worth US$335 million, while alginate 12,000 metric tons a year worth US$94 million and gelatine 10,000 metric tons a year worth US$181 million.

By 2014 he hoped absorption of domestically processed carrageenin would increase to 15 percent or around 4,000 tons while exports to reach around 22,000 tons.

He also hoped absorption of domestically processed gelatine would be 85 percent or around 4,250 tons and exports around 750 tons.

In 2009 Indonesia`s seaweed production reached 2,574,000 tons, which increased sharply from the 2005 level of only 910,636 tons.

"Seaweed to the total production of marine and fisheries accounted for 8.9 pct, while we set a target of 27 pct by 2015," Minister Fadel said last February in the Seabfex III opening which was participated in by representatives from 14 countries, such as the Philippines, South Korea, China, Malaysia, France, India, Germany, Canada, Chile, Japan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands.

Indonesia`s total seaweed exports reached 102,415.93 tons, worth 124.36 million US dollars, with destinations including Asia, Europe, America, Australia, and Africa.

With regard to carrageenin product, Indonesia had controlled around 13 percent of the world`s market in 2007 and 13.7 percent in 2008, 14 percent in 2009 and predictably 15 percent in 2010, according to Martani Huseini, the marine affairs and fisheries ministry`s director general of fishery product processing and marketing in Gorontalo, Sulawesi, last April.

Petrus Rani Pong, a researcher from the Mamuju fishery and brackish water cultivation research center in South Sulawesi Province, one of the country`s biggest seaweed producers, said in June 2010 that with the support of innovative technology, Indonesia would be able to achieve the 10 million tons target by 2014, from 2.6 million tons in 2010.

Besides, the government has facilitated the expansion of seaweed cultivation areas from 2.1 million hectares into 2.6 million hectares in 2010, he said.

He believed that seaweed cultivation involving thousands of farmers throughout the nation could help improve the people`s welfare since the overseas demands for seaweed were very high.

Of seven seaweed species being cultivated in Indonesia, the majority is Kappaphycus species, which is considered good quality. (Xinhua)

Indonesia`s Island of Bali will host the 21st International Seaweed Symposium (ISS) in 2013. The decision was taken in the 20th ISS which was organized in Mexico in February 2010, according to Chairman of the Indonesian Seaweed Producers` Association (ALRI) Safari Azis Husain.

Azis Husain, who had attended the Mexico meeting, said the appointment of Indonesia to host the important meeting, reflected that Indonesia has been considered of having huge potential in the seaweed cultivation.

Based on the data resulted from a mapping carried out by a Filipino researcher, Dr. Anicia Q. Hurtado, there were 11 spots of the world`s seaweed production centers for E. Cottonii seaweed existing along the Equator, particularly in the Coral Triangle area covering ten ASEAN member nations, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Pacific islands.

Of the 11 spots, six are in eastern Indonesia, spread from the straits of Makassar, North Sulawesi-Central Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Maluku to Papua, according to Azis Husain.

The data showed that the eastern Indonesia area (KTI) in the future is very strategic and detrimental in meeting the global increasing seaweed consumption, he said.

Indonesia is the world`s biggest dried seaweed exporter with its annual exports reaching 145,000 tons, or about 50 percent of the tropical world`s total exports of 290,000 tons.

The total dried seaweed exports of tropical countries which is 290,000 tons accounted for 25 percent of the world`s total seaweed exports of 1.2 million tons.

"Beside Indonesia, other tropical countries which export dried seaweed include the Philippines, which contributes 35 percent of the total tropical countries` exports of dried seaweed," chairman of Indonesia`s Seaweed Commission, Farid Ma`aruoef, said last April in Padang, West Sumatra.

On a national scale, Indonesia`s wet seaweed production reaches 1,94 million tons, and only 15 percent of it is processed at home. (ANTARA)

who am i ? A Lifestyle entrepreneur apparently

Lifestyle entrepreneur

A lifestyle entrepreneur places passion before profit when launching a business in order to combine personal interests and talent with the ability to earn a living. Many entrepreneurs may be primarily motivated by the intention to make their business profitable in order to sell toshareholders. In contrast, a lifestyle entrepreneur intentially chooses a business model intended to develop and grow their business in order to make a long-term, sustainable and viable living working in a field where they have a particular interest, passion, talent, knowledge or high degree of expertise.^[9] A lifestyle entrepreneur may decide to become self-employed in order to achieve greater personal freedom, more family time and more time working on projects or business goals that inspire them. A lifestyle entrepreneur may combine a hobby with a profession or they may specifically decide not to expand their business in order to remain in control of their venture. Common goals held by the lifestyle entrepreneur include earning a living doing something that they love, earning a living in a way that facilitates self-employment, achieving a good work/life balance and owning a business without shareholders. Many lifestyle entrepreneurs are very dedicated to their business and may work within the creative industries or tourism industry,^[10] where a passion before profit approach to entrepreneurship often prevails. While many entrepreneurs may launch their business with a clear exit strategy, a lifestyle entrepreneur may deliberately and consciously choose to keep their venture fully within their own control. Lifestyle entrepreneurship is becoming increasing popular as technology providessmall business owners with the digital platforms needed to reach a large global market.^[11]

Swine flu spreading faster in Britain than rest of Europe

Swine flu has spread more rapidly in Britain than in the rest of Europe, the World Health Organization has revealed, as the Government faces growing criticism over the country's preparations for an epidemic.

A tourist in Trafalgar Square takes precautions against swine flu Photo: GETTY

By Richard Gray 9:00PM GMT 01 Jan 2011

39 Comments

Experts have warned that the surge in flu cases in Britain has still not yet peaked and say the number of cases will continue to rise rapidly over the next two to four weeks.

Figures released by the WHO show the rate of influenza-like illnesses is still low across continental Europe but has risen dramatically in Britain since the flu season began in October. The majority are swine flu cases.

There are currently 738 patients now receiving intensive care treatment for flu in the UK and at least 17 have required life support because their heart and lungs have failed.

The death toll from the virus now sits at 39, with 36 of the victims dying of the H1N1 swine flu virus.

It comes as the Government was forced to defend the country's level of preparedness against the flu outbreak.

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The Department of Health denied claims the country was facing a national shortage of the flu vaccine after some doctors surgeries reported they were running out of stocks.

The Government also relaunched its national flu prevention campaign on Saturday in an attempt to quell the rising number of flu cases.

In its weekly influenza bulletin, the WHO said: "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) has been experiencing a surge in both mild and severe cases for the last three weeks which has not yet peaked.

"On the European continent, rates of respiratory disease are still relatively low but the number of countries reporting influenza detections are increasing."

Influenza experts said it was not entirely clear why Britain appeared to have so many more cases early in the flu season compared to the rest of Europe, but it could be attributed to traditional movements of families around the country in the run up to Christmas and New Year.

Professor John Oxford, an influenza virologist at Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry in London, said: "These figures are just a snapshot of the current situation across Europe, but it could have something to do with the movement of people at this time of year.

"We can expect the number of cases to keep going up, possibly reaching epidemic limits before it peaks in the next two to four weeks.

"This is a virus that thrives on close human contact so we can expect an explosion in cases after the New Year celebrations.

"It is good to see the Government has decided to restart its campaign to encourage good hygiene – this is the first line of defence against the flu virus."

Health secretary Andrew Lansley decided to reinstate the campaign as figures showed the number of people in intensive care had almost doubled in the past week.

He came under intense criticism after cancelling the usual winter flu campaign, which encourages good hygiene measures to limit the spread of the disease and also urges people in vulnerable groups to have vaccinations.

There has also been concern that flu vaccines were not offered for children under five years old this year despite advise from the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in January that it would be "prudent" to include children aged six months to five years in this winter's flu vaccine programme.

The committee has subsequently said it did not believe healthy children under five years old should be given the flu vaccine, but insisted that "at risk" groups under the age of 65 years old, which includes those suffering from conditions such as respiratory, heart, kidney or liver disease, should be given the jab as a matter of priority.

Statistics released by the Department of Health on Christmas Eve showed that 460 people were receiving intensive treatment for flu.

However, according to the latest figures there are now 738 patients receiving the same level of care – including 42 youngsters under five.

Many of the victims have not been vaccinated and all except one of the 39 victims to have died were under 65 while four were under the age of five.

Hospitals around the country have now been forced to declare red and black alerts as a result of the flu outbreak.

James Paget University Hospital in Great Yarmouth declared a "black alert" – the most severe status level – on Thursday while Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is on Red Alert.

NHS pressure group Health Emergency Chairman Geoff Martin said: "The NHS is now on the brink of the worst winter crisis in over a decade as the harsh reality of cuts to beds and staffing numbers is exposed with lethal consequences."

A spokesman for the Department of Health reiterated that there was no national shortage of the flu vaccine

She said: "GPs have already been asked to check their stocks. If they have run out, they have already been advised to work with neighbouring practices or the PCT to obtain further supplies.

"The vaccine manufacturers and suppliers still have stocks available for ordering."

Seaweed extract found to prevent H1N1 infection Friday, December 17, 2010 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/030758_seaweed_extract_H1N1.html#ixzz19sC6mmLk
(NaturalNews) New research published in the journalPLoS ONEhas found that a red seaweed-based compound known as Carrageenan is an effective treatment against the common cold, viruses and even H1N1 influenza. The substance works by binding directly to viruses and preventing them from attaching to cells and spreading throughout the body.

Carrageenan is commonly used as a food thickening additive because of its gel-like texture. Though technically derived from natural seaweed, the substance is actually not all that healthy to consume. Studies have found that it can cause gastrointestinal upset, and in many cases, the additive creates a form of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in food (http://www.naturalnews.com/025066.html).

But when used as a nasal spray, Carrageenan forms a physical barrier between nasal tissue and foreign invaders, which effectively protects healthy cells from harmfulviruses. In fact, the recent study found that Carrageenan works just as well as the popular antiviral drug Tamiflu at preventingviral infections, except without all the harmful side effects.

"Influenza viruses still represent a substantial threat to publichealthon a global scale and with increasing viral resistance toTamiflu, the need for alternatives has never been greater," explained Dr. Andreas Grassauer, CEO and co-founder of Marinomed Biotechnologie, the company that funded the study. "This study confirms that iota-carrageenan can be used as an alternative to neuraminidase inhibitors and should be further tested for prevention andtreatmentof influenza A in clinical trials in humans."

Consuming plenty of superfoods and immune-boosting vitamins and minerals will do wonders to protect you fromthe flu. Vitamin D, for instance, is a powerful antiviral nutrient that works better than any vaccine or drug at preventing the flu (http://www.naturalnews.com/029760_v...). And elderberry is another powerfulfoodmedicine that has been used for thousands of years to prevent viral infections (http://www.naturalnews.com/025019_e...).

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/030758_seaweed_extract_H1N1.html#ixzz19sC0VAZx

Seaweed to fight swine flu

MERYL NAIDOO

May 05, 2010 04:50am

A TASMANIAN company has used seaweed to develop a groundbreaking treatment for swine flu.

Laboatory trials over the past nine months using a compound in undaria seaweed harvested from waters at Triabunna, of Tasmania's East Coast, to inhibit the virus have been positive.

It promises to be the first major naturally derived breakthrough to treat swine flu.

Tasmanian scientist Helen Fitton yesterday announced the breakthrough was a significant step towards protecting the world against swine flu.

"With swine flu already becoming resistant to some other antiviral agents, we believe that the extract - known as Maritech 926 - offers a potent, natural alternative which supports the immune system against viral attacks," Dr Fitton said.

It takes about 200kg of undaria seaweed and highly sophisticated techniques to produce 1kg of pricey powder.

The biotechnology company Marinova, based at Cambridge, has been researching this compound, which is sugar based, for nearly eight years.

"In December new results found that it prevents the H1N1 virus from entering the cell and multiplying," Dr Fitton said.

"Once you reach the effective concentration the virus is unable to enter cells - and only millionths of a gram (of Maritech 926) is needed to be effective as an inhibitor to H1N1.

"This ingredient is ready now to be incorporated into a product to prevent H1N1 from entering your body.

"The compound protects the seaweed itself from marine toxins and pathogens and similarly protects against the type of viruses that affect human cells.

"It has also shown very good antiviral activities against a range of influenza strains, HIV and herpes."

Marinova managing director Paul Garrott said the product, which is environmentally sustainable, is at a commercially viable place right now.

Mr Garrott hopes that pharmaceutical companies will take deliveries soon in order to begin human trials.

The next step would be to manufacture it on a large scale, he said.

Scope also exists for the compound to be included in other pharmaceutical and medical device applications.

"It is ready to go. The commercial potential is enormous in nutritional supplements, hand washes and nasal delivery products which target the spread and prevention of viral conditions," he said.

"We believe that this is the only natural certified organic substance that has this level to inhibit swine flu.

"It is not a substitute for the swine flu vaccination, rather it is a first defence against swine flu.

"It is conceivable that there could be a product on the market within months."

Dr Fitton said there is a growing market for people who want to use completely natural products.

Dr Fitton said Maritech 926 is stable, water soluble and has an extended shelf life that makes it suitable for inclusion in a wide range of delivery systems, like hand wash.

The company has filed a patent for its breakthrough seaweed extract.

Lab tests were performed under contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US.

Dr Helen Fitton with some of the seaweed that is processed to manufacture Maritech 926 - a product being used to fight swine flu. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

Undaria Seaweed for Treating Swine Flu

A Tasmanian company has discovered that seaweed can be used for treating swine flu. Lab trials had been going on for the past nine months, for the same. They made use of the undariaseaweed, which was harvested from waters at Triabunna, of Tasmania's East Coast.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases performed lab tests and the results have been encouraging. Tasmanian scientist Helen Fitton revealed while describing the development, “With swine flu already becoming resistant to some other antiviral agents, we believe that the extract - known as Maritech 926 - offers a potent, natural alternative which supports the immune system against viral attacks”.

About 200Kgs of undaria seaweed are used to produce 1 kg of the powdered drug. Though, biotechnology company Marinova, based at Cambridge, had been researching this compound for the past eight years, but its efficacy against H1N1 flu is proven in last December.

The new results discovered that it prevents the H1N1 virus from entering the cell and multiplying. It has also revealed very good antiviral activities against a variety of influenza strains, HIV and herpes.

Marinova Managing Director, Paul Garrott opines that the product is environmentally as well as commercially sustainable. It can be used in otherpharmaceutical and medical devices.