Iceland review - 2013, Qupperneq 57

ICELAND REVIEW 55
Atlantic and therefore have certain characteristics that can only be
found in Icelandic waters. They have higher bio-active properties
in comparison to the same species growing in warmer waters,” Jón
Trausti explains.
Seaweed contains a variety of nutritional benefits including
being high in protein, fiber, vitamins A, B1 and B6 and minerals
such as iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphor. Fat
and cholesterol free, seaweed is also high in iron—dulse has an
even higher iron content than spinach.
Today seaweed is only harvested in Iceland on a small scale but
experts say the potential is huge.
“Until today, domestic utilization of seaweed has been very
little to none, excluding the industrial harvesting that is done in
the Breiðafjörður area,” Jón Trausti says of the West Iceland region.
“There is great potential for utilization of marine algae and with
growing demand worldwide, Iceland could become a strong partici-
pant in the global algae industry.”
ALgAe of MANy uSeS
Knowledge of the benefits of seaweed is becoming more widespread
and innovation in its use has been taking off in Iceland with sea-
weed being used to fortify various foods including skyr, tagliatelle
and fishcakes, in cosmetics and health supplements like kelp tablets
and in fertilizer.
Most seaweed harvested in Iceland is used to produce alginate.
The seaweed is dried in Iceland and shipped abroad where the algi-
nate is extracted, which when combined with water forms a gum
used as a thickening and gelling agent in food, in the manufacturing
of paper and textiles, and even in prosthetics.
“a couple of years ago, i wanted to surprise my wife by doing something different so i had the idea to put seaweed in our hot tub. The next day she was asking if i
had bought a new conditioner, my hair was so soft,” says Bogi Jónsson of realizing the benefits for hair and skin.
INNOVATION