What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?

Seaweeds are traditionally used as sea vegetables in Asian countries but their consumption by western consumers is minimal. The nutritional value of algae and their potential use as functional ingredients in foods is discussed. The addition of seaweeds to the diet of marine animals produced by aquaculture is suggested. This would be a new opportunity to introduce seaweeds indirectly into the human food chain in western countries, especially in Europe. The treatment of wastewater produced by aquaculture facilities with macroalgae is an additional argument for the use of this marine resource in food production and the development of a new method for marine aquaculture.

► The nutritional value of seaweeds and their application as foods in human nutrition is reported.
► The use of algae in aquaculture, both for fish feeding and wastewater treatment, is discussed.
► This latter aspect is an indirect way to introduce this marine resource into the food chain.