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Alaska
KOMBU, SUGAR
WRACK Laminaria spp.
Description:
Plant
Habitat: Near or below
low-tide mark from Chukchi sea to Southeast Alaska. Uses: Dried crushed leaves are used for tea. Used to lower
blood pressure and blood cholesterol; against constipation,
arteriosclerosis and hypertension; in the Orient for cooling, blood
cleansing and hypothyroidism. A source of a colloid, alginate, used in a number of industries.
L. saccharina (sugar
wrack) contains mannitol, a sugar alcohol.
Marketed dried in the U.S. Algin can be extracted from Laminaria.
Algin is used as a binding and disintegrating agent in tablets, and a
thickening agent in gels, lotions and creams. It is used in many food
products including candy, gelatin, pudding, relish, condiments, fish
products and imitation dairy products. Special
Harvest or Processing Comments: Producing algin involves pre-washing seaweed to leach out salts, extraction with a dilute alkaline solution, clarification and treatment with mineral acids. Sodium alginate is the most common commercial form of algin. Boots or a boat are needed for kombu harvesting. Young plants are crisp; older ones are large, soft and sweet with mannitol. This sea vegetable is hung up to dry from high poles. |
