Disrupting the Western food & Health paradigm with SeaweedQUEENSLAND SEAFOOD MARKETERS SYMPOSIUM 2018

Dr. Pia WinbergCEO Venus Shell SystemsCEO PhycoHealthHonorary FellowSchool of MedicineUniversity of Wollongongpia@uow.edu.au

WhySeaweed?$10B

Sustainable globalCrop

Carbon efficiency

opportunity

Underexploited resource in

the West

Future Health

Biomatrix materials

Non-binary platform of products

The customer is

excitedBut…..

Australia has unique opportunity

Fastest growing

crop

Nutritional potency

….requireseducationand

effectivemarketing

The rise of modern global seaweed crops

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Current global farmed seaweed production

outweighs other aquaculture production…

but it is mostly in Asia and the west is far

behind.

1970

1980

2000

2010

2020

2030

GlobalSeaweed

ProductionThefutureis

greenseaweed

BrownKelp

Redseaweeds

A history of seaweed crops That started in the 1940s:

• Rise of the reds• Base is brown• Future is green

Species&

Nutritionalopportunities2009

Retrospective strategy for Australia since 2009 –

All of our RIRDC/AgriFutures research reports since 2009 can be sought at: http://www.agrifutures.com.au/publications-

resources/publications/ AND entering the search term “seaweed”

Targetmarkets,industry

strategyandcoordination2011

Australiannetworking

acrossengaged

Industrypartners2011

Culturetrialswith

selectedAustralianspecies2013

Bestpractisetowards

standardsfor

Australianseaweed2017

GlobalStatus&

Australianopportunity

&position2011

Industrial Ecology System

VSS Background – Vertically Integrated

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Vertically controlled production of natural molecular ingredients

From sun to bottle

Food Range

Skin Range

Supplements

Genetically

identified species

Controlled Source

Controlled Production

100 ton / ha

production

Proprietary Extraction Diverse

Fractions

But sustainability is not why

people buy seaweed?

Key marketing attribute: health

Second marketing attribute:

novelty and flavour

Vitam

ins

Pigments

GlycoFibre&Phenolics

Magnesium&Boron

Omega-3

Iron

Iodine

42%ManganeseRDI

65%ofyourBoron

71%ofIodineRDI

33%ofMagnesiumRDI

40%ofironRDI

Seaweed Trace Elements and the Irony of Iodine…..

….Select your species wisely

Seaweed ain’t seaweeds

• FRDCsupportedFish

namesprogramisnow

introducingseaweed(or

aquaticplants)naming

standards

• Publicconsultationonthis

willbehappeninginthe

nearfuture,andAustralia

isoneoftheleading

countriesinthisway.

Polysaccharidecategories repeatingunits

Extra

cellul

ar

matri

x

carageenans(galactans)

cellulose

mannans

xylans

glucose,mannose,xylose,

galactopyranose,

glucuronicacid,

alginicacid

fucoidan

fucose,uronicacids,

xylose,glucose,galactose,

guluronicacids

ulvans,

cellulose,

xyloglucan

rhamnose,glucose,

galactose,mannose,

xylan,uronicacids

(glucuronic&iduronic

acids)

SeaFibre diversity in seaweeds – different seaweeds are different

Winberg,P.C.,J.H.Fitton,etal.(2014).Controllingseaweedbiology,physiologyandmetabolictraitsinproductionfor

commerciallyrelevantbio-activesinglycobiology.AdvancesinBotanicalResearch.N.Bourgougnon,Elsevier.71:221-252.

REDSEAWEEDS

BROWNSEAWEEDS

GREENSEAWEEDS

Evencloselyrelatedspecieshave

differentSeaFibres

GlycoBiology

How does seaweed persist like this?

when other surfaces look like this…..

Intercellular Matrix•The Glue•The Connector•The mechanical properties•The defence

Gut Health & Current Clinical Trials

Dr.DanHarmelin

• ReducedCholesterol

• ReducedInflammation

• Shiftedgutfloratoincreasegood

bacterialikeBifidobacteria

• CaseStudyeffectonpsoriasisduetoreduced

inflammationfromthegut–asfeaturedintheCleverGutsDiet

For2years

priortotrial

Duringtrial3weeks

–bandagesoff

Aftertrial

–bandageson

Gut microbiome response

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SUPPLEMENTS

SKIN

FOOD

�1616

PhycoHealth marketing

Hot of the press: Seaweed & Skin ScaffoldsThe future of tissue regeneration with seaweed

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• Ourgreenseaweed

extractsarevery

similartothe

connectivetissuein

ourownskin.

• Allowsskincellsto

attachandthrive.

• Anti-inflammatory

action.

• Protectandbinds

collagen.

Wearemakingnewtherapeutic

productsfor

woundhealingandtissueregeneration,

butalsoincludingourseaweedextract

inanewrangeof

marineskincare

SEAWEED: EXPANDING THE WESTERN SEAFOOD PARADIGM