RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN MANUFACTURING AND MARKETING CARRAGEENAN

Carrageenan has annual sales of over US$ 200 million, about 15% of the world use of food hydrocolloids. The market for carrageenan has grown exponentially at 5% per year for at least 25 years: 5 500 metric tons in 1970, and over 20 000 metric tons expected in 1995. The industry h as become dominated by very large, multi-product companies with carrag eenan factories in Europe and the US, but factories are now springing up in the Philippines and Chile, where red seaweeds grow in abundance. About 80 000 tons of dry red seaweeds are needed to produce 20 000 to ns of carrageenan. About 40 000 tons comes from the Philippines, 15 00 0 tons from Indonesia, 15 000 tons from Chile, and 10 000 tons from el sewhere. Carrageenan growth depends on food fads like the McLean hambu rger and food winners like processed pork and turkey. Carrageenan is a regulated food additive, and current health concerns focus on the min imum safe molecular weight for carrageenan when eaten. The most innova tive development in carrageenans in recent years has been the introduc tion of a food grade version of lower cost natural grade carrageenan. Its acceptance, however, has been hampered by strong resistance from c onventional carrageenan producers.