Carrageenan Process

1 . A process for producing a carrageenan composition, comprising the steps of:

cleaning iota carrageenan-containing seaweed in water;

treating the cleaned seaweed with an aqueous treatment solution, the aqueous treatment solution containing about 3-30 wt %, preferably 10-25 wt %, and most preferably 15-20 wt %, of an treatment compound;

subjecting the treated seaweed to washing with water; and

processing the washed seaweed to produce the carrageenan composition.

2 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the processing step comprises drying the washed seaweed to produce the carrageen composition in the form of semi-refined carrageenan.

3 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the processing step comprises extracting the washed seaweed to produce the carrageen composition in the form of refined carrageenan.

4 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment compound is a salt.

5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment compound is an alkali selected from the group comprising calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate.

6 . The process according to claim 4 , wherein the salt is selected from the group comprising sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and sodium hexametaphosphate.

7 . A process according to claim 1 in which the treatment compound is a sodium compound selected from the group comprising sodium salts and sodium bases.

8 . A process according to claim 1 in which the treatment compound is sodium hydroxide.

9 . A process according to claim 1 in which the treatment compound comprises a sodium salt.

10 . A process according to claim 1 , wherein the water for washing the seaweed in the washing step is selected from the group comprising sea water, tap water, rain water, deionised water, sodium chloride softened water, and demineralised water.

11 . A process according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning step is conducted at a temperature in the range 5-25° C.

12 . A process according to claim 1 , wherein the subjecting the treated seaweed to washing step occurs in a wash process selected from the group consisting of a batch wise wash or as a counter current wash.

13 . A process according to claim 1 , wherein the subjecting the treated seaweed to washing step occurs in a counter current wash.

14 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein during the step of treating the washed seaweed the seaweed is treated at a temperature of about 0-70° C., preferably 5-70° C., and most preferably 5-35° C.

15 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein during the step of treating the washed seaweed the seaweed is treated for a time in the range 2-17 hours, preferably 2-4 hours.

16 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous treatment solution further comprises alcohol in a concentration of about 20 vol % to about 80 vol %, preferably about 20 vol % to about 60 vol %, most preferably about 50 vol % to about 60 vol %.

17 . The process according to claim 16 wherein the alcohol is selected from the group comprising methanol, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol.

18 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein during the subjecting step, alcohol is included with the water.

19 . A process for producing a carrageenan composition, comprising the steps of:

cleaning the iota carrageenan-containing seaweed in water;

treating, in a first treating step, the washed seaweed with an aqueous treatment solution, the aqueous treatment solution containing about 3-30 wt %, preferably about 10-25 wt %, and most preferably about 15-20 wt %, of a first treatment compound;

rinsing the treated seaweed to remove excess of the first treatment compound;

treating, in a second treating step, the rinsed seaweed with a second aqueous treatment solution, the second aqueous treatment solution containing about 3-30 wt %, preferably about 10-25 wt %, and most preferably about 15-20 wt % of a second treatment compound to form a seaweed preproduct;

washing the seaweed preproduct in water or a mixture of water and alcohol; and

drying the washed seaweed preproduct to produce a carrageenan composition.

20 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the first treatment compound is an alkali, and the second alkali treatment composition is an salt.

21 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the first treatment compound is an salt, and the second treatment composition is an alkali.

22 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the alkali is selected from the group comprising calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate and the salt is selected from the group comprising sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, and sodium hexametaphosphate.

23 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein during the step of treating the washed seaweed the seaweed is treated at a temperature of about 0-70° C., preferably 5-70° C., and most preferably 5-35° C.

24 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein during the step of treating the washed seaweed the seaweed is treated for a time in the range of about 1-24 hours, preferably about 2-17 hours, and most preferably about 2-4 hours.

25 . The process according to claim 19 , wherein the first aqueous treatment solution further comprises alcohol in a concentration of about 20 vol % to about 80 vol %, preferably about 20 vol % to about 60 vol %, more preferably about 50 vol % to about 60 vol %.

26 . The process according to claim 25 , wherein the alcohol is selected from the group comprising methanol, ethanol, and isopropyl alcohol.

27 . A process according to claim 19 , wherein the washing the seaweed preproduct step occurs in a wash process selected from the group consisting of a batch wise wash or as a counter current wash.

28 . A process according to claim 19 , wherein the washing the seaweed preproduct step occurs in a counter current wash.