Asparagopsis taxiformis – Dried Whole Seaweed

Technical Specifications

Production and Cultivation

Asparagopsis taxiformis is found in tropical and warm waters and can be sourced from regions including Australia, Mexico, and Indonesia. It can be cultivated using traditional or modern methods. The traditional approach involves distributing long strands in coastal waters inoculated with young offshoots of the macroalgae, which are harvested once the algae have grown along the strands. Modern approaches use floating platforms further out to sea, reducing dependence on limited coastal areas and allowing cultivation at varying depths.

Due to its seasonality, Asparagopsis taxiformis is typically most abundantly available between March and June.

Ordering & Contact

ALGANEX supplies Asparagopsis taxiformis dried whole seaweed for B2B buyers in the animal feed and food industries. Contact us for bulk pricing, sample requests, and supply chain information. Our team responds within twelve hours and supports product developers and purchasing managers with tailored sourcing solutions.

FAQ

What is Asparagopsis taxiformis?

Asparagopsis taxiformis is a red macroalgae found in tropical and warm waters worldwide. It belongs to the group of red algae and is commercially sourced from regions including Australia, Mexico, and Indonesia.

What is Asparagopsis taxiformis used for?

It is primarily used as an animal feed supplement, where studies have demonstrated its potential to significantly reduce methane emissions from cattle. It is also suitable for human consumption and has been used in traditional foods in Hawaiian culture [5, 6, 7].

How does Asparagopsis taxiformis reduce methane emissions?

Studies have shown that supplementing cattle feed with Asparagopsis taxiformis can reduce enteric methane emissions by a significant margin even at low inclusion levels. Research into the microbiome-based mechanisms behind this effect is ongoing [5, 6, 7].

What functional compounds does Asparagopsis taxiformis contain?

Asparagopsis taxiformis contains protein, as well as compounds with demonstrated antibacterial activity against aquaculture-relevant pathogens and antifungal activity against Aspergillus species [3, 4].

Where does Asparagopsis taxiformis grow?

It grows in tropical and warm waters and is found and harvested in regions including Australia, Mexico, and Indonesia. Its distribution is limited to areas with warm marine ecosystems.

How is Asparagopsis taxiformis cultivated?

It can be cultivated using traditional strand-based methods in coastal waters or using modern floating platforms further out at sea. Both methods are commercially viable. Due to its seasonality, peak availability is typically between March and June.

Is Asparagopsis taxiformis edible?

Many species of the genus Asparagopsis, including Asparagopsis taxiformis, are suitable for human consumption. The species has a history of use in traditional Hawaiian cuisine and is also grown for its bioactive compounds in food supplement applications.

In which form is Asparagopsis taxiformis available?

Asparagopsis taxiformis is available as dried whole seaweed.

How does Asparagopsis taxiformis reduce methane emissions?

Asparagopsis taxiformis reduces methane by inhibiting methanogenic microorganisms in the rumen. Its bioactive compounds disrupt key pathways in methane formation, leading to significant emission reductions even at low inclusion levels [5, 7].

Why is Asparagopsis taxiformis more effective than other algae?

Compared to other macroalgae, Asparagopsis taxiformis directly targets methane-producing microorganisms, enabling reductions of up to 80% at low inclusion rates. Most other algae primarily provide nutritional benefits without this strong methane inhibition effect [6].

Sources

1. Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan 1845 – M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 01 February 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=636
2. Asparagopsis taxiformis – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagopsis_taxiformis
3. Genovese G, Leitner S, Minicante SA, Lass-Flörl C. The Mediterranean red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis has antifungal activity against Aspergillus species. Mycoses. 2013 Sep;56(5):516-9. doi: 10.1111/myc.12065. PMID: 23437896. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23437896/
4. Genovese G, Faggio C, Gugliandolo C, Torre A, Spanò A, Morabito M, Maugeri TL. In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of Asparagopsis taxiformis from the Straits of Messina against pathogens relevant in aquaculture. Mar Environ Res. 2012 Feb;73:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2011.10.002. PMID: 22078751. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22078751/
5. Indugu N, Narayan K, Stefenoni HA, Hennessy ML, Vecchiarelli B, Bender JS, Shah R, Dai G, Garapati S, Yarish C, Welchez SC, Räisänen SE, Wasson D, Lage C, Melgar A, Hristov AN, Pitta DW. Microbiome-informed study of the mechanistic basis of methane inhibition by Asparagopsis taxiformis in dairy cattle. mBio. 2024 Aug 14;15(8):e0078224. doi: 10.1128/mbio.00782-24. PMID: 38953639. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38953639/
6. Roque BM, Venegas M, Kinley RD, de Nys R, Duarte TL, Yang X, Kebreab E. Red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) supplementation reduces enteric methane by over 80 percent in beef steers. PLoS One. 2021 Mar 17;16(3):e0247820. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247820. PMID: 33730064. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33730064/
7. Roque BM, Brooke CG, Ladau J, Polley T, Marsh LJ, Najafi N, Pandey P, Singh L, Kinley R, Salwen JK, Eloe-Fadrosh E, Kebreab E, Hess M. Effect of the macroalgae Asparagopsis taxiformis on methane production and rumen microbiome assemblage. Anim Microbiome. 2019 Feb 12;1(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s42523-019-0004-4. PMID: 33499933. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33499933/