Title of Process/ Know-how/ Product/Design/Equipment
Production of food grade agar from cultivated Gracilaria edulis / G. debilis with backward integration of farming
Application/Uses/Problem being addressed
Gracilaria edulis & G. debilis are utilized for more than three decades for food grade agar production in India. Many seaweed based industries in India are not producing agar to their full capacity due to shortage of raw material. A feasible cultivation method has been developed for sustainable production of biomass.
An improved process has been developed for extraction of superior quality agar from Gracilaria edulis, which may be useful for food, agriculture and biological applications.
Salient Technical Features including Competing Features/ Impact
Gracilaria edulis & debilis are utilized for more than three decades for food grade agar production in India. Many seaweed based industries in India are not producing agar to their installed capacity due to shortage of raw material. A feasible cultivation method has been developed for sustainable production of biomass for agar production using improved method.
J Appl Phycol 2008, 20:397–402; J of Appl Phycology, 2016, 28, 3479-3489; J Appl Phycol 2019, 31, 2609–2621, J Appl Phycol 2010, 22, 623–627
TRL Level & Scale of Development:
5 kg seaweed as raw material / batch production of agar
Business scope & opportunity (in terms of scale, cost, market etc.):
India is mostly depends on the imported agar products used as thickener and gelling agents in the food industry. Hence, CSIR-CSMCRI process technology will provide import substitute for expensive agar products.
Environmental Considerations:
This is almost zero liquid discharge process
Status of Licensing:
Ready for licensingStatus of Commercialization:
Not yet commercializedMajor Raw Materials Needed
Red seaweeds (Gracilaria edulis/ G. debilis)
Major Plant Equipment and Machinery Required
Reactor (pressure vessel); Centrifuge; Filtration unit; Mechanical Grinder; Evaporator; Boiler; Refrigerator (-15 oC), Pumps.
Techno-Economics
Tentative Price: Raw material Seaweed: ₹40-60/Kg
Agar: ₹400-700/Kg
Technology Package
Cultivation methodology of Gracilaria edulis & Gracilaria debilis and training with at least two Bamboo rafts; Demonstration of the agar production @ 1 Kg dry seaweed/batch; demonstration certificate and technology transfer document having information on market, completion, process, specification of products, optimized parameters of process, product evaluation details, equipment requirement details, designs etc., will be provided; Appropriate discount in license fee for small scale industries/startup will be provided.
