New enzymes and enzyme processes from marine microorganisms for the processing of seaweed biomass

Project title: Marikat

Partners: Lund University, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR), University of Crete, LLa-BioEconomy, Enza Biotech AB, ORF, Utrecht University, Aventure

Research Fund: Technology Development Fund

Initial year: 2020

Service Category:

Biotechnology

Contact

Björn Þór Aðalsteinsson

Project Manager

bjornth@matis.is

The goal of the Marikat project is to develop enzymes for the processing of biomaterials from seafood.

Seaweed and kelp contain a lot of sugars with a variety of bioactivity. The sugars are different from the sugars found in land plants and there is still a lack of enzyme tools to facilitate their processing from seaweed and conversion into valuable substances.

The project will develop various types of enzymes to process bioactive small sugars, rare sugars, polyphenols and seaweed surfactants.

The market for such substances can be found in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.