Nutraceutical Compounds of Marine Origin

The marine environment is a rich source of bioactive compounds like bioactive peptides, polyunsaturated lipids, polysaccharides, minerals (e.g., potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine), vitamins (e.g., A, B1, B6, B12, E, and C), carotenoids, polyphenolic compounds, and phytosterols which can have anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, lipid-lowering, neuroprotective, sleep-enhancing, wound healing, and skin protection activities. The bioactive compounds of marine origin can be used in the food industry as food supplements or as additives in meat products (e.g., pasty and sausages), fish, cereal-based products), fermented products (e.g., yogurt and cheese), and oils to enhance their quality or employed to gel, thicken, and stabilize food, cosmetic, and drug products. Finally, algae biomass can be used to feed animals, poultry, and fish and is used to make biofuels. This presentation updates recent research on bioactive in aquatic sources and highlights their potential application in the food, supplement, and pharmaceutical industries and their potential toxicity.