Seaweed in Chilean bakery

?Although it is not something new, more attention should be paid to the incorporation of brown algae (or the products derived from its processing), in the traditional and industrial baking products, as it is a good alternative for enriching Chilean baking, since the bread is a staple food in a country where the annual per capita consumption is approximately 90 kg.

The use of algae in confectionery would allow a nutritional contribution highlighting its vitamins, iron, protein, fiber, antioxidants, calcium, and alginate, among others; and also due to the presence of biomolecules that can act as anticholesterolemic agents or improve the absorption of carbohydrates and pigments that favor the immune system, but also due to its functionality as a wetting and emulsifying agent, imparting a longer shelf life to bakery products in the that it be incorporated, with which a partial substitute would be available, of food additives (emulsifiers), contributing through its use in cleaning labels. One of the limitations of the incorporation of algae in baking is the flavor it gives to the final product, which limits its application to 4% of the total recipe, considering the direct use of dried algae. However, the physical processes of extraction and purification reduce this sensory impact, achieving a higher level of applications.

Chile has a growing industry in the sector of exploitation of marine resources, which includes artisanal or fishing harvesting, production and processing of algae, which should, at some point, focus its attention on the development of value-added products that allow enrich and provide a greater nutritional contribution to one of the foods greater consumption by its citizens (bread); This would further improve the shelf life of bakery products by reducing the use of synthetic emulsifiers.

The comprehensive use of algae in the baking industry in Chile, on the other hand, would promote the development of the algae-producing industry, as well as the projects for the production of refined products that provide greater well-being to a country committed to the development, the environment and sustainability, and the circular economy.

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