Cited by 210Seaweed-derived Bioactive CompoundsFood Industry and Aquatic BiologyFood Safety and Hygiene

Food Safety Hazards in the European Seaweed Chain

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Banach, J. L., Hoek‐van den Hil, E. F., van der Fels‐Klerx, H. J.·2020·Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety

Abstract

Seaweed is a source of protein that can help overcome the anticipated challenges of a growing world population and the current challenges for finding alternatives for animal proteins in the Western diet. Thus far, data on the safety of seaweed for feed and food purposes in the Western world are scattered. This study aimed to review the available knowledge on the presence of food safety hazards in seaweed, including factors influencing their presence, and to prioritize the hazards that may pose a risk to human health. Given current knowledge from the literature, data from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, and results from a stakeholder survey, 22 food safety hazards were ranked into major (4), moderate (5), and minor (13) hazards. Arsenic, cadmium, iodine, and Salmonella were identified as major hazards. Hazards, where data gaps exist, should be carefully assessed. These include pesticide residues, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, marine biotoxins, allergens, micro- and nanoplastics, other pathogenic bacteria, norovirus, and hepatitis E virus. It is recommended to collect more data on these hazards in future studies. Many factors can affect the presence of hazards including seaweed type, physiology, season, harvest and cultivation environment, geography including the location of cultivation, alongside further processing. Moreover, when seaweed is cultivated near industrialized or anthropogenic activities, these activities may negatively influence water quality, which can increase the likelihood of hazards in seaweed. Results of the ranking prioritized hazards can be used to prioritize monitoring programs and adjusted given future additional knowledge covering the data gaps.

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Crossref · 10.1111/1541-4337.12523

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Authors
Banach, J. L., Hoek‐van den Hil, E. F., & van der Fels‐Klerx, H. J.
Affiliations
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
  • Wageningen Food Safety Research Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands
Corresponding author
Banach, J. L.
Venue
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-01-29
Volume
19
Issue
2
Pages
332-364
ISSN
1541-4337 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3004385733
Cited by
210
References
151
Citations by year
2026: 32 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 8
FWCI
2.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Lloyd's Register Foundation (G\100123)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Industry and Aquatic Biology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Safety and Hygiene
Keywords
seaweed, food safety hazards, hazard prioritization, arsenic, cadmium, iodine, Salmonella, marine biotoxins, microplastics, nanoplastics, pharmaceutical pollutants, pesticide residues, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, seaweed cultivation, water quality, food and feed safety, monitoring program
MeSH terms
Bacteria, Europe, Food Contamination, Food Microbiology, Humans, Seaweed, Viruses, Food Safety

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