Procedure for the obtention of flour from red seaweed

The process for the obtention of seaweed flour comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting a red seaweed of interest selected from the group consisting of Gigartina skottsbergii, Gigartina sandpaper, Gigartina chamissoi, Euchema cottonii, Euchema spinosum and Chondrus crispus;
• b) cold washing the selected red seaweed from step a) between 15 and 25° C.;
• c) treating the washed seaweed from step b) in brine with 10-20% w/v of the mixture of NaCl and KCl at 15-25° C. for 3-5 days;
• d) hot washing the treated seaweed from step c) with 8-12% w/v KCl and 3-5% w/v NaCl at 35-45° C.;
• e) cold washing the hot washed seaweed from step d) at 10-15° C.;
• f) washing the cold washed seaweed from step e) in a solution with 50-60 v/v alcohol;
• g) grinding the washed seaweed from step f) and obtaining a size of 3-5 cm;
• h) pre-drying the grinded seaweed from step g) in a vacuum system with steam injection with steam stream is at 70-90° C.;
• i) drying the pre-dried seaweed from step h) in fluid bed drying until humidity is 10% or below at a temperature below 55° C.;
• and
• j) dry grinding and sieving the dried seaweed from step i) for obtention of particles on or below 75 μm.