Pharma Marine Group, founded by Omega-3 industry veteran Leif Gjendemsjø, has recently introduced Calamarine™ a line of eco-friendly high DHA Omega-3 ingredients for use in dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and functional food items. Derived from the byproducts of food-grade calamari (Cephalopoda), Calamarine™ Omega-3 oils offer a highly sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative.

Calamari naturally contains high levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). An increasing body of research supports DHA as the more efficacious option for addressing most of the common health conditions supported by Omega-3 supplementation.

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As the El Niño phenomenon prevailing in some parts ravages agricultural crops, a Philippine fertilizer manufacturer has came up with a product that could help plants withstand water shortage due to the dry spell.

The Amebocyte Cell Company, Inc. (ACCI), manufacturer of Vegegrow Organic Plant Food & amp (adenosine monophosphate), a pure liquid organic fertilizer derived from marine plant extracts, claims their natural plant food and bio stimulant contains anti-oxidants, cytokinins and other plant hormones that can help crops withstand extreme moisture stress.

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EUREKA project E! 3025 MONALISA has developed a new, completely natural alternative to using antibiotics in animal feed. Formerly used as growth promoters and to prevent the damaging effects of the fungal toxins which are often present in feed, antibiotics have been prohibited for use in animal feed in the EU since 2006 – creating a need for a new, effective antimycotoxic agent. The already-known capacity of clay minerals to adsorb these mycotoxins has been increased ten times over in this project by the incorporation of molecules of extracts from algae (seaweed) onto the clay. The resulting activated clay is added to animal feed, where it is highly efficient at adsorbing the mycotoxin molecules.

The process, which involves suspension of the clay and seaweed extract in water, followed by removal of the remaining algal extract, centrifugation and drying, now holds two worldwide patents. It is the development of this process that is the main technological innovation. As well as applications in the field of animal feed, the clay-algal extract combination has potential uses in the purification of water from waste effluents, heavy metals or radioactive pollution.

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Nova Scotia seaweed entrepreneur Jean-Paul Deveau is in Vancouver to enjoy the Olympics, promote Acadian Seaplants and his Canadian region to people of influence, and learn what it takes to organize a winter games that will attract about 2,700 athletes.

Deveau is president of seaweed products manufacturer Acadian Seaplants but he is also chairman of the 2011 Canada Winter Games organization coming next year to Halifax.

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Results of a new clinical study show that Alguard, an all-natural cosmetic ingredient developed by Frutarom Ltd, provides immediate beauty enhancement when applied to skin. Alguard is known for its ability to provide long-term protection to skin, but this study is the first to demonstrate it can also offer skin enhancement immediately after the first usage. Following the encouraging results Frutarom has released a preservative free eco-certified version of Alguard.

In this study, by the Israeli Skin Research Institute, 10 women applied a small amount of Alguard on half of their faces compared to a control cream on the other half and were monitored for one hour in a controlled environment. A clear reduction in fine-line length and depth, as well as a 24% average reduction in skin roughness were observed. “What’s exciting about this study is that within an hour of using Alguard, users see a change in the appearance of their skin, whereas it can take weeks for other cosmetic products to produce a noticeable change to skin appearance,” explains Anat Stern, MSc, Product Manager of Cosmetic Ingredients for Frutarom.

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Research published today in Biologics: Targets & Therapy, cites human clinical trials conducted at Southern Cross University NatMed Research Centre, which have demonstrated that the natural seaweed extract can reduce Osteoarthritis symptoms in some patients by up to 52%. The extract used in the clinical trials is a natural complex of concentrated fucoidans – bioactive polysaccharides thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits attributed to brown seaweeds such as wakame. All clinical trial participants had clinically-diagnosed osteoarthritis of the knee and were given a daily dose of the fucoidan-rich extract over a 12 week period during which the changes in their symptoms were observed.

Participants taking 100mg of the seaweed extract each day showed an 18% reduction in osteoarthritis symptoms, using the internationally-validated COAT (Comprehensive Osteoarthritis Test) assessment protocol. Participants taking 1000mg per day reported a staggering 52% reduction in symptoms.

Developed by Australian biotechnology company Marinova Pty Ltd, the natural Maritech® extract used in the clinical trials is derived from seaweed species growing in the pristine ocean waters of Patagonia and Nova Scotia. Unlike most complementary therapies which target osteoarthritis, Maritech® extract has Organic, Kosher and Halal certifications and is suitable for patients with seafood and shellfish allergies.

Full details of the Study can be found at Biologics: Targets & Therapy 2010:4 33-44

Krill oil manufacturer Azantis Inc. received the 2009 Growth Award from the industry leading Nutrition Business Journal and The NBJ Summit. Azantis grew its 2009 sales more than 300 percent in a highly competitive market.

Azantis received the 2009 Growth Award in the category Small Companies: Revenues Under $10 Million.

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A six-day conference on marine biotechnology will be held in Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy from 20 to 25 June 2010.

This conference is designed to promote scientific excellence in marine biotechnology, give a platform for leading scientists and young researchers to present their work and discuss the future of the field in Europe. Organised around seven-half day sessions, event topics will include:
- algae and seaweed biomass;
- aquaculture;
- bioprospecting;
- human and environmental health;
- enzymes;
- marine bionanotechnology and biomaterials;
- marine models;
- pollution and bioremediation;
- bioinformatics and research infrastructures

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Massachusetts-based Bodega Algae LLC and West Boothbay Harbor, Maine-based Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have been awarded a six-month Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant worth $150,000 from the National Science Foundation. The award will support the two firms’ development of advanced photobioreactors in growing algae for use as a biofuel.

The SBIR grant, called “Light Delivery Enhancement of Photobioreactors,” will initially target issues of mass cultivation of algae to make into biofuel.

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