Recovery and Analysis of Bioactive Compounds from Domestically Grown Sugar Kelp

Kelp farming is on the rise in the U.S. because it is versatile regenerative and renewable and it can provide an additional income source for those on the working waterfront whose incomes are impacted by climate change. In the U.S. kelp is farmed mainly for human consumption. Yet there is a growing body of research from outside the U.S. describing other promising high value applications for kelp. Skincare is one such application. Kelp is potentially a regenerative renewable source of valuable skincare compounds at a time when consumer demand is increasing for natural effective non-toxic products. For this project Cold Current Kelp LLC (CCK) will determine the feasibility of using a relatively novel "green" extraction method to obtain bioactive compounds from Maine-grown sugar kelp. Unlike conventional methods the proposed extraction will not use toxic solvents and is expected to result in higher extraction yields in less time. The project will examine the effects of a variety of extraction conditions as well as the age of kelp at harvest. It will then identify characterize and quantify resulting compounds of interest. CCK anticipates the project will be an important step toward producing natural non-toxic ingredients with quantifiable bioactive compounds that can be used by CCK to create effective skincare products. Diversifying kelp beyond food applications—particularly for high-value uses—incentivizes kelp production and increases the chances of success of this nascent supply chain. Recovering and analyzing extracts of bioactive compounds from domestically grown kelp is a valuable research endeavor and commercialization opportunity.