Development of Basic Technology for Obtaining Sodium Alginate from Brown Algae

Abstract

The possibility of making sodium alginate from a by-product (fucus semi-finished product), obtained by producing an extract from brown algae of the Fucus family – fucus bubbly (F.vesiculosus), has been studied. It has been found that up to 80% of the alginic acids contained in the feedstock remain in the fucus semi-finished product, which can also be isolated and used. The principal technology of sodium alginate from the fucus semi-finished product is developed, consisting of the following main stages: preparation of raw materials, reduction, pretreatment, extraction of alginates, isolation of alginic acid, production of sodium alginate, drying. As a result of optimization of the technological scheme, it was possible to increase the yield and improve the quality of the product: the yield of sodium alginate was 4.5% (which is 20% higher than the original), the content of alginic acids increased by 7% and was 92% in terms of dry matter, kinematic the viscosity increased almost twofold - its value reached a value of 500 cSt. Investigations carried out by the Fourier method of IR spectroscopy on the Shimadzu IR Tracer-100 ( Japan) showed that the sodium alginate obtained from the fucus semi-finished by optimized technology is not inferior in quality to sodium alginate produced from laminaria (Sigma Aldrich (USA).) Sodium alginate, made from the fucus semi-finished product, can be used as one of the components of gelling fillings for the production of canned fish in jellies. A technological scheme for processing algae is proposed.