tambalang seaweed, Eucheuma alvarezii var. tambalang Doty, KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII (DOTY)

KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII (DOTY)
Eucheuma alvarezii var. tambalang Doty
tambalang seaweed (price depend on season & quantity)
(dried)
price : USD 2.20 - USD 2.70 per kg (FOB Malaysia)
min. order : 50kg
capacity : +-10 ton per month

(processed, unsalted, salt removed)
price : USD 2.50 - USD 3.00 per kg (FOB Malaysia)
min. order : 50kg
capacity : +-10 ton per month

(processed, natural whitening)
price : USD 2.40 - USD 2.90 per kg (FOB Malaysia)
min. order : 50kg
capacity : +-10 ton per month

*fresh seaweed available on request.

KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII (DOTY)
This species is variable in habit, it may be tall and loosely branched with few blunt or pointed determinate branchlets, or the thallus may be densely branched with coarse spinose branchlets. These are irregularly arranged and do not form whorls as in E.denticulatum.In cross section,the center of the medulla at or near the apex of the branch consists of large rounded cells interspersed with small, thick-walled cells forming the axial core.
This species grows on reef flat with coarse sandy-corally substratum exposed to moderate water movement. This species is commercially farmed in the country.

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
NATURAL PRODUCTS: Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe, k, Mg, Mn, Na; Pigments: carotene, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll d, lutein , r-phycocyanin , r-phycoerythrin , zeaxanthin; Polysaccharides/simple sugars: agar, kappa-carrageenan ,floridean starch ,funoran furcellarin ,galactan.

APPLICATIONS: Animal feed: pet food; Controls heavy metal pollution (Cd, Pb); FERTILIZER: foliar fertilizer; Human food: utilized directly as food: it is first blanched in boiling water to remove the pigmented portion of the branches as well as to soften it partly, mixed with sliced tomatoes and onions, a sweet sour dressing made of vinegar, salt and sugar is generally used as seasoning, also used in the making of jelly-type desserts: the seaweed is first soaked in light alkali solution to remove the pigments, rinsed thoroughly in fresh water and dried, the dried materials are then boiled until the seaweed is dissolved to form a thick fluid, sugar and flavoring are added, mixed thoroughly and placed in containers to gel.
In Northern Philippines, the seaweed is dried and resoaked in seawater and dried several times to remove the pigments, the materials are washed thoroughly with fresh water to remove the salt boiling these to a thick fluid consistency, sugar and flavorings are added, then this is set to gel; Industrial products and processes: air freshener, binder in cosmetic products, culture medium for horticulture laboratory, soil conditioner; Insect repellant; Medicine: cough.