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Nov-2019

Some noteworthy properties and applications of the Alginates

The Alginates market was estimated at USD 378 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR rate of 4.0% to reach USD 457 million by 2024.

Alginates Market Introduction:

Alginate is a biomaterial that has found many applications in biomedical science and engineering because of its properties, like biocompatibility and ease of gelation. To date, alginate hydrogels have been particularly useful for wound healing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering because they retain structural similarity to the extracellular matrices of tissues and can be manipulated to play a variety of essential roles. This review will provide a comprehensive description of the general properties of alginate and its hydrogels, as well as their biomedical applications, and suggest new perspectives for future studies on these polymers.

Alginic acid, also called alginate is a hydrophilic or anionic polysaccharide isolated from certain brown algae (Phaeophyceae) by alkaline extraction. It is present in the cell walls of brown algae where it forms a viscous gel when it joins the water. Alginic acid is a linear polymer composed of L-glucuronic acid and D-mannuronic acid residues linked by 1,4-glucosidic linkages. Available in different types, alginic acid has been used in a variety of uses in foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for over 100 years. It is an FDA-approved food ingredient in soups and soup mixes as an emulsifier, thickener and stabilizer. It is also available in oral dietary supplements and is found in antacids such as Gaviscon in the presence of gastric acid. Alginate formulations for raft formation in the treatment of heartburn and gastric acid reflux have been used worldwide for over 30 years.

Alginates are used to improve the texture of foods, for example, sunshine in ice cream, filled with cake. In extracted form, alginate absorbs water quickly; It can absorb 200 to 300 times its weight in water. Its color varies from white to yellowish-brown. It is sold in filamentous, granular or powder form.

Properties:

Bacterial biosynthesis can provide alginate with more defined chemical structures and physical properties than those obtained from alginate. Bacterial alginate can be produced from Azotobacter and Pseudomonas. The alginate biosynthetic pathway is generally divided into (i) precursor substrate synthesis, (ii) cytoplasmic membrane polymerization and transfer, (iii) periplasmic transfer and modification, and (iv) export through the outer membrane. Recent advances in the regulation of alginate biosynthesis in bacteria and the relative ease of modification of bacteria can allow the production of alginate with customized characteristics and many applications in biomedical applications.

Applications:

Food products

The alginate has excellent functionality as a thickener, gelling agent, emulsifier, stabilizer, texture enhancer (for noodles), improving the quality of food. Today, thanks to its unique properties, alginate is added to many types of foods, such as ice cream, jellies, acidic dairy drinks, salad dressings, instant noodles, beer, etc.

Pharmaceuticals

Alginic acid is used in several pharmaceutical applications. Alginic acid is mixed into tablets to accelerate the disintegration of the pills and release the medicinal component more quickly. The alginate forms a highly acidic stomach gel and protects the stomach lining.

Beauty products

Alginate is used in many cosmetic products due to its thickening and moisture retention functionality. The alginate helps maintain the color of the lipstick on the surface of the lips by forming a gel network.

Textile printing

Alginate is used in the color paste substrate when patterns are applied to fabrics, scarves, towels, etc. The use of alginate in the making of cotton, jute and rayon is a must. Alginate is safer and more comfortable to decompose than other textile printing substrates and facilitates wastewater removal.

Welding rods

Alginate is used as a flow binder in the production of welding rods.

Animal food

Alginate is used as a binder and thickening agent for pet food, fish food, etc.

Regional Analysis:

The industry in Europe is characterized by the presence of large manufacturers such as Algaia and Ceamsa, involved in the manufacture of advanced products. The abundance of raw materials in Chile and Norway facilitates production. It has been found that the price of the product in the region is high due to consumer demand for high purity and quality.

The consumption of this product in Asia-Pacific is expected to increase at a compound annual rate of 5.9% due to the rapid development of the textile and food and beverage industry. The penetration of products in the pharmaceutical industry in the region is currently limited due to its low use in developing economies.

Main target audience:

• Worldwide manufacturers of alginates and derivatives

• Research organizations and consultants.

• Organizations, associations and alliances related to alginates and derivatives.

• Government agencies as regulators and policy makers.

• Industry associations

• Suppliers of raw materials.