Aspects of the farming and processing ofKappaphycusandEucheumain Indonesia

✍ Scribed by D. M. Luxton

• Book ID: 104623700
• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 474 KB
• Volume: 260-261
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-5141
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00049042

✦ Synopsis

Indonesia has become the largest exporter of Eucheuma denticulatum, supplying the foreign demand for iota-carrageenan, and the increasing demand of the Asian food markets. Recent demand fluctuations for Kappaphycus alvarezii and E. denticulatum have resulted in price instability, and slowed the expansion of the less viable raft culture practice. A short 42-45 day harvest interval, propagule selection, and post-harvest treatment remain the causes of poor crop quality and low carrageenan yields.

In 1988 the first processing of K. alvarezii commenced. By 1991 there were four factories exporting an alkali-treated chip product, and one producing carrageenan powder. In 1991, 3200t dry weight of the K. alvarezii harvest was processed locally. The viability of future natural food-grade carrageenan production is discussed in relation to new developments in the industry.