Gracilaria sp. – Macroalgae Powder

Technical Specifications

*All values are indicative and may vary between batches. Please request a current Certificate of Analysis for exact specifications.

Production and Cultivation

Gracilaria sp. is a red macroalgae found in coastal waters worldwide, in both temperate and tropical regions. It grows in a variety of marine habitats including rocky shores, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. It is cultivated commercially across Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. The species reproduces both sexually through spore production and asexually through fragmentation, and grows through apical growth — producing new cells at the tips of its branches.

Ordering & Contact

ALGANEX supplies Gracilaria sp. powder for B2B buyers in the food, cosmetics, and aquaculture industries. The product is available in organic and conventional variants, as well as in powder, flakes, dried, and fresh forms. 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 Gracilaria sp.?

Gracilaria is a genus of red macroalgae found in coastal waters worldwide. It grows in temperate and tropical marine environments and is commercially cultivated across Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia for use in food, cosmetics, and aquaculture.

What is Gracilaria sp. used for?

Gracilaria is used to produce agar and agarose, as a food ingredient, as a natural feed in aquaculture, and as an ingredient in cosmetic formulations. It is also used in environmental cleanup efforts due to its ability to absorb and remove toxins from water [3, 10, 11, 12, 13].

What compounds does Gracilaria sp. contain?

Gracilaria sp. contains minerals including iodine, potassium, and magnesium, as well as amino acids, fatty acids, sterols, oxylipins, vitamins, and sulfated polysaccharides with antioxidant properties [3, 4, 5, 6, 7].

What are the cosmetic applications of Gracilaria sp.?

Gracilaria sp. powder is used in creams, lotions, and serums. Its minerals, amino acids, and vitamins are incorporated into formulations where they contribute to skin appearance, with a nourishing and moisturizing effect.Gracilaria is particularly suited for anti-aging cosmetics due to its skin-smoothing and firming properties [9, 12].

What is agar and how is it produced from Gracilaria?

Agar is a natural gel-like substance extracted from Gracilaria and other red algae. It is used as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent in food products including jelly, ice cream, and pastry fillings [3].

What antioxidant properties does Gracilaria sp. have?

Sulfated polysaccharides from Gracilaria species have demonstrated antioxidant activity in multiple studies. These compounds may help protect against oxidative stress and external influences on the skin [5, 6, 7].

How is Gracilaria sp. used in aquaculture?

Gracilaria is used as a natural feed for farmed fish and shellfish. Studies indicate it may support growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and innate immunity in aquaculture species [10, 11].

In which forms is Gracilaria sp. available?

Gracilaria sp. is available as powder, flakes, dried raw algae, and fresh algae. It is offered in both organic (DE-ÖKO-070) and conventional variants.

Sources

1. Gracilaria – M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 09 July 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland. https://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=14
2. Gracilaria – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracilaria
3. Chen X, Fu X, Huang L, Xu J, Gao X. Agar oligosaccharides: A review of preparation, structures, bioactivities and application. Carbohydr Polym. 2021 Aug 1;265:118076. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118076. PMID: 33966840. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33966840/
4. Aziz E, Batool R, Khan MU, Rauf A, Akhtar W, Heydari M, Rehman S, Shahzad T, Malik A, Mosavat SH, Plygun S, Shariati MA. An overview on red algae bioactive compounds and their pharmaceutical applications. J Complement Integr Med. 2020. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2019-0203. PMID: 32697756. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32697756/
5. Long X, Hu X, Pan C, Xiang H, Chen S, Qi B, Liu S, Yang X. Antioxidant Activity of Gracilaria lemaneiformis Polysaccharide Degradation Based on Nrf-2/Keap-1 Signaling Pathway in HepG2 Cells with Oxidative Stress Induced by H2O2. Mar Drugs. 2022 Aug 24;20(9):545. doi: 10.3390/md20090545. PMID: 36135734. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36135734/
6. Khan BM, Zheng LX, Khan W, Shah AA, Liu Y, Cheong KL. Antioxidant Potential of Physicochemically Characterized Gracilaria blodgettii Sulfated Polysaccharides. Polymers (Basel). 2021 Jan 30;13(3):442. doi: 10.3390/polym13030442. PMID: 33573123. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33573123/
7. Sudharsan S, Subhapradha N, Seedevi P, Shanmugam V, Madeswaran P, Shanmugam A, Srinivasan A. Antioxidant and anticoagulant activity of sulfated polysaccharide from Gracilaria debilis (Forsskal). Int J Biol Macromol. 2015 Nov;81:1031-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.09.046. PMID: 26424206. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26424206/
8. Malida Vernandes Sasadara M, Putu Wirawan IG, Made Jawi I, Sritamin M, Ayu Dewi NN, Ayu Mirah Adi AA. Anti-inflammatory Effect of Red Macroalgae Bulung Sangu (Gracilaria sp.) Extract in UVB-Irradiated Mice. Pak J Biol Sci. 2021 Jan;24(1):80-89. doi: 10.3923/pjbs.2021.80.89. PMID: 33683034. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33683034/
9. Wang X, Zhang Z, Zhou H, Sun X, Chen X, Xu N. The anti-aging effects of Gracilaria lemaneiformis polysaccharide in Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Biol Macromol. 2019 Nov 1;140:600-604. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.08.186. PMID: 31446102. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31446102/
10. Younis EM, Al-Quffail AS, Al-Asgah NA, Abdel-Warith AA, Al-Hafedh YS. Effect of dietary fish meal replacement by red algae, Gracilaria arcuata, on growth performance and body composition of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2018 Feb;25(2):198-203. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2017.06.012. PMID: 29472765. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29472765/
11. Bakky MAH, Tran NT, Zhang Y, Hu H, Lin H, Zhang M, Liang H, Zhang Y, Li S. Effects of dietary supplementation of Gracilaria lemaneiformis-derived sulfated polysaccharides on the growth, antioxidant capacity, and innate immunity of rabbitfish (Siganus canaliculatus). Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2023 Aug;139:108933. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108933. PMID: 37419435. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37419435/
12. Priscila Torres, Janaína Pires Santos, Fungyi Chow, Déborah Y.A.C. dos Santos. A comprehensive review of traditional uses, bioactivity potential, and chemical diversity of the genus Gracilaria (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta). Algal Research. 2019;37:288-306. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211926418305381
13. Duan B, Wu Y, Xie S, Hong T, Yang Y, Zheng M, Jiang Z, Zhu Y, Li Q, Ni H, Wang Y, Du X, Li Z. Antifungal mechanism and application to phytopathogenic fungi after anaerobic fermentation of Gracilaria agar wastewater. Bioresour Technol. 2025 Jan;416:131818. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131818. PMID: 39542052. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39542052/