Alaria esculenta, commonly known as alaria or badderlocks, is a type of brown algae belonging to the Alariaceae family. It is native to the cold waters of the North Atlantic, including the coasts of Europe and North America. This seaweed is recognized for its long, thin fronds that can reach up to 2 meters in length, featuring a characteristic central rib running their entire length.

Botanical Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Ochrophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Alariaceae
Genus: Alaria
Species: A. esculenta

Plant Characteristics

Alaria esculenta grows on rocky substrates in cold, nutrient-rich waters, often forming dense underwater forests. Its structure consists of a leafy blade and a stipe that attaches to the marine substrate through a robust holdfast. The fronds are brown-green, rich in vitamins and minerals, and become particularly nutritious during the spring months when the plant accumulates energy reserves.

Chemical Composition and Structure

It is rich in iodine, iron, potassium, and calcium, and also contains significant amounts of vitamins A, C, E, and B complex. It is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which are essential for cardiovascular health and the prevention of cellular aging.

How to Cultivate It

Cultivating Alaria esculenta requires specific marine conditions:

1. Water: Prefers cold, nutrient-rich waters.
2. Light: Grows at moderate depths where it receives filtered sunlight.
3. Substrate: Needs a rocky substrate to anchor itself.

Uses and Benefits

Alaria esculenta is valued both for its nutritional value and culinary applications. It is commonly used in cooking in salads, soups, and as a wrap for sushi. Beyond food uses, it is employed in cosmetics for its moisturizing and anti-aging properties.

Applications

• Culinary: Used fresh or dried in various dishes for its unique flavor and nutritional benefits.

Alaria Esculenta which is among the most widely cultivated seaweeds in Europe, characterized by their ability to achieve high biomass yield, has demonstrated high nutritional value (1).

• Medicinal: Exploited for its beneficial effects on the thyroid, thanks to its high iodine content.

 Florotannins detected by phytochemical analysis of Alaria Esculenta, an edible brown seaweed, may have a potential protective function against UV radiation damage (2).

• Cosmetic: Included in skin care products for its emollient and nourishing qualities.

• Skincare: Used in anti-aging creams, lotions, and serums to enhance skin elasticity, hydration, and protection from environmental stress. Its antioxidant properties help prevent premature skin aging.

• Hair Care: Found in shampoos and conditioners, it nourishes the scalp and strengthens the hair, thanks to its rich mineral and essential fatty acid content.

• Sun Care Products: Employed in sun care formulations for its ability to protect against UV-induced damage and oxidative stress.

Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.

Skin protectant. It creates a protective barrier on the skin to defend it from harmful substances, irritants, allergens, pathogens that can cause various inflammatory conditions. These products can also improve the natural skin barrier and in most cases more than one is needed to achieve an effective result.

Commercial Applications

Cosmetics. Alaria Esculenta extract is commonly used in skincare products for its antioxidant, moisturizing, and anti-aging properties. It helps reduce wrinkles and improve skin elasticity.

Hair Products. Incorporated into hair products to provide nourishment and strengthening.

Dietary Supplements. Sometimes used in supplements due to its high mineral and vitamin content.

Medical Applications

Anti-inflammatory. It may possess anti-inflammatory properties, making it beneficial for topical treatments of skin disorders.

Detoxifying. Used in treatments that aim to purify and detoxify the skin.

Health and Safety Considerations

Safety in Use
Alaria Esculenta Extract is considered safe for use in cosmetic products. It is well-tolerated by the skin and does not cause irritation or sensitization when used at recommended concentrations.

Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions to this ingredient are rare, but as with any natural ingredient, individuals with particularly sensitive skin may experience mild skin reactions.

Toxicity and Carcinogenicity
It has been widely evaluated for cosmetic use and is considered safe by regulatory authorities.

Environmental Considerations
Alaria Esculenta is a renewable and sustainable resource. The harvesting and production of the extract are generally considered eco-friendly, as seaweed is cultivated responsibly and the extraction process has a low environmental impact.

Regulatory Status
Alaria Esculenta Extract is approved for use in cosmetics by major regulatory authorities, including the European Union and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

Environmental and Safety Considerations

The cultivation and harvesting of Alaria esculenta must be managed with sustainable practices to avoid damaging marine ecosystems. There are no significant health risks associated with its consumption, but it is important to ensure it comes from uncontaminated waters to avoid the intake of heavy metals or other pollutants.

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Stévant, P., Marfaing, H., Rustad, T., Sandbakken, I., Fleurence, J., & Chapman, A. (2017). Nutritional value of the kelps Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima and effects of short-term storage on biomass quality. Journal of applied phycology, 29, 2417-2426.

Abstract. Storage of macroalgae in seawater, prior to further processing, is a standard initial pre-treatment step after harvest to avoid rapid degradation of the biomass. In the context of using seaweeds in human food and animal feed products, such practice may affect the nutritional value and the overall quality of the biomass. The effects of seawater storage on the chemical composition (i.e., mineral fraction, carbohydrates, proteins, polyphenols, and fucoxanthin) and surface color of two cultivated kelps (Phaeophyceae), Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima, were investigated over a 22-h period. Storage treatments resulted in a rapid decrease in dry weight during the first 2 h (−21.4 and −20.4% in A. esculenta and S. latissima, respectively) with subsequent stabilization. Although it is not clear whether the reduction of dry weight was caused by the release of nutritional compounds from seaweed biomass or water uptake during storage treatment, the results from chemical analyses suggest the combined effect of both mechanisms. Seawater storage increased the ash and sodium contents and reduced carbohydrate and polyphenol levels in both species. Among carbohydrates, the levels of mannitol and glucose (laminaran) were particularly reduced in S. latissima samples while the fucose level, reflecting fucoidans, was reduced in A. esculenta. The protein content remained relatively stable in both species. These results provide evidence of the effect of seawater storage on the quality of the edible kelps A. esculenta and S. latissima. The results will contribute to selecting postharvest strategies adequate for maintaining biomass quality, minimizing losses of valuable compounds and increasing profitability for industrial stakeholders.

(2) Steinhoff FS, Graeve M, Bartoszek K, Bischof K, Wiencke C. Phlorotannin production and lipid oxidation as a potential protective function against high photosynthetically active and UV radiation in gametophytes of Alaria esculenta (Alariales, Phaeophyceae). Photochem Photobiol. 2012 Jan-Feb;88(1):46-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2011.01004.x.