More than half of over-45s are living with diet-related noncommunicable health conditions, which is putting an enormous strain on NHS resources _\[National-Food-Strategy-Ch16-2021\]_. Fortifying functional ingredients to increase food's nutritional value is needed to 'make us well' and result in a healthier planet. BioMara and Aberystwyth University are focused on advancing nutritional health claims for BioMara's fucoidan using innovative stabilisation steps through spray-drying techniques, and testing in human health trials. Fucoidan, a bioactive polysaccharide, has numerous biological activities. However, fucoidan faces a restricted market size due to its lack of research-backed credentials for applications in its relatively restricted existing nutraceuticals market while competing with a predominantly Asian supply of low-quality, low-bioactive seaweed. Fucoidan holds promise in solving pressing health concerns, but it faces challenges because industrial production and application are limited due to low yield and little rigorous scientific backing for health claims. Optimised purification and stabilisation methods are key to retaining fucoidan's bioactivity through the process_._ Collaboration with Aberystwyth University looks to build on and advance the knowledge in health potential for BioMara's unique fucoidan outputs. This feasibility project will separate fucoidan using BioMara's innovative zero-waste cascading biorefinery process generating maximum value from sustainably-farmed UK seaweed. Applying Aberystwyth University's novel advanced compositional and antimicrobial research to multiple high-quality, bioactive and food-grade samples will seek to evidence fucoidan bioactivity and gut microbiome impact before and after atomisation of formulations is applied. Understanding ideal stabilisation parameters is important to retain fucoidan bioactivity and enable production scale-up. Human trials will generate preliminary feedback focused on gut health to ascertain the _in vivo_ impact of fucoidan and will ensure findings align with food manufacturers and health-conscious consumers. The project outputs will position BioMara as a market leader with a product ready for further clinical trials. Producing a sustainable, high-purity, and traceable product from UK feedstocks provides a distinctive provenance advantage and advances UK food production to meet the rise in global demand for healthy convenience foods, accessible and available to all.

Despite the potential for commercial-scale seaweed cultivation in Scotland to generate over £70m by 2040, growth is hindered by challenges in linking supply with demand and limited diversity in valuable seaweed market applications. BioMara aims to transform the Scottish seaweed-industry by building an innovative zero-waste cascading biorefinery process, generating maximum value from sustainably-farmed UK seaweed. This innovative approach yields five products (fucoidan,beta-glucan,fibrous-biomass ingredient,alginates,and biostimulants) each targeting a specific application. BioMara's commercialisation strategy is to establish market demand for all products, ensuring process techno-economic viability, flexibility and swift commercialisation. The optimised extraction processes uphold all outputs as high-quality, food-grade, maximising market potential. Fucoidan, a bioactive polysaccharide, is the highest-value output with numerous biological activities (anticancer,antioxidant,immunoregulatory,antiviral,antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties). However, fucoidan faces a restricted market size due to its current concentration on nutraceuticals and predominantly Asian supply of low-quality, low-bioactive seaweed. This project aims to increase the usability of high-quality, bioactive fucoidan in the food industry, targeting functional foods markets. Food manufacturers are responding to consumer demand (and government guidelines) for healthier ingredients offering specific health benefits _\[Food-Manufacture-2023\]_. While fucoidan holds promise for functional foods, its industrial production and application is limited due to low yield (⁓3--30% per dry weight) and little rigorous scientific backing for health claims. Improved seaweed cultivation, and optimised fucoidan extraction methods ('green chemistry')_\[Anisha-2022;Hifney-2016__\]_ are key to addressing this challenge, in addition to optimising the bioactivity of fucoidan when designing functional food _\[Liu-2018;Shanthi-2021\]._ Focusing on advanced bio-based manufacturing, this 12-month project partners with Abertay University (AU) to pioneer state-of-the-art extraction, refinement, and processing techniques to improve the purity, retention and delivery of fucoidan bioactivity especially within food matrices. AU's novel 'in-vitro' research will seek to evidence fucoidan bioactivity absorption into the digestive system. Innovative purification processes will attain the highest-grade highly-bioactive fucoidan, positioning BioMara as a market-leader with a premium product, commanding premium prices. Producing a valuable, sustainable, high-purity and traceable product from UK feedstocks, provides a distinctive provenance advantage. Collaboration with upstream seaweed farms and downstream food manufacturers, within Scotland, ensures the final outputs are fit for swift market adoption, addressing the current supply/demand challenges facing the industry. Given the current reliance on imported fucoidan due to the lack of UK producers, BioMara aims to be the premier UK seaweed-biomass biorefinery. Aligned with 'Levelling Up' goals, the project advances bio-based manufacturing in Scotland to meet the rise in global demand for next-generation plant-based prebiotics and food additives.

BioMara is a UK-based biotechnology startup building a cascading biorefinery platform utilising UK-sourced ocean-farmed seaweed biomass. Following a zero-waste approach, BioMara will utilise a residual biomass stream to produce an affordable and sustainable fortifying-functional food ingredient for common foods, which is rich in minerals, protein and fibre. **NEED** Innovative food production technologies and healthy food sources must be developed in research partnerships with universities and food manufacturers. Healthy alternatives or additive ingredients are needed for incorporation in common processed and convenience foods. Ingredients should be sourced from traceable and sustainable UK plant-based feedstocks to tackle nutritional challenges in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner. **PROJECT AIMS** This project leverages the functionality and nutrition profile of BioMara's high-volume residual-biomass to develop a healthy fortifying functional ingredient for incorporation into end-products such as bread, pastries and cakes. Product development in collaboration with Abertay University includes human trials in the universities state-of-the-art sensory laboratory. Collaboration with Macphie, a food ingredient manufacturer, incorporates the treated/processed seaweed ingredient into products using their pilot-scale kitchen and factory. This project will help meet the increasing demand for healthy, natural, plant-based, affordable foods in commonly eaten baked goods. **OUTCOMES** The project outcome is a fortifying functional food ingredient for common foods, such as bread-based products. Bread is a staple eaten by 99.8% of households (Kantar). Therefore, the new ingredient could improve the nutrition profile of millions affecting positive health outcomes throughout the UK population. The bespoke processing techniques retain the nutrition attributes of BioMara's residual biomass stream output, including minerals, protein and fibre. **WIDER IMPACT** Successful project outcomes de-risk plans to develop and commercialise a widely available versatile nutritional ingredient. This project will lead to job creation and job retention for project partners, economic gains for the UK and supply chain resilience. Economic benefits include reducing the burden on the NHS through health improvements. Social and economic impact includes stimulating and creating direct and indirect jobs, income diversification opportunities, more resilient coastal communities and support of government initiatives like Net-Zero. BioMara's foundational strategy is to positively influence the growth of an emerging UK seaweed industry by working with suppliers, coastal communities, academic institutions, and industry players in a thriving UK blue-bioeconomy. BioMara's underlying aim is to have a positive environmental impact, including carbon reduction and ocean regeneration. The seaweed industry development supports UN SDGs such as climate action and life below water (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7-15)_._

BioMara is a UK biotechnology startup researching and designing biomanufacturing methods and developing future advanced bioproducts. BioMara products will have improved and differentiated properties following research-backed laboratory-based product development. BioMara's Innovate UK-funded feasibility project is focused on investigating sustainable, zero-waste processes in the design of a UK-based biorefinery pulling significant demand for UK-sourced ocean-farmed seaweed biomass. Through the valorisation of residual 'waste' biomass, BioMara will improve the existing processes, moving towards a zero-waste system resulting in an innovative cascading biorefinery concept with multiple revenue streams. Sustainability investigations will include a Life Cycle Analysis and targets for improvements or interventions throughout the value chain to improve the sustainability credentials of BioMara's 'sea-to-sellables' product portfolio. KelpCrofters, the upstream project partner, will investigate methods to reduce energy consumption/costs in stabilising and drying seaweed including the impacts of dewatering or ensiling. Innovative biomanufacturing technologies and processes will be researched and developed in this feasibility study focusing on the continuous and consistent production of valuable, sustainable products using traceable UK feedstocks for provenance. BioMara aims to effect social and economic impact by stimulating the creation of direct and indirect jobs, income diversification opportunities, more resilient coastal communities and support of government initiates like Net-Zero. BioMara's foundational strategy is to help grow the emerging UK seaweed industry by working with suppliers, coastal communities, academic institutions, and industry players in a thriving UK blue-bioeconomy. BioMara's underlying aim is to have a positive environmental impact, including carbon reduction and ocean regeneration. The seaweed industry development supports UN SDGs such as climate action and life below water (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7-15)_._

BioMara is a startup with a new team motivated to build a successful, high-growth business innovating for net zero in the UK seaweed industry supply chain. Through this 'fast start' innovation project, BioMara will consolidate its partnerships with seaweed farmers to support regional communities and lock in reliable biomass supply. BioMara will identify the best local seaweed species as input for its first target product, the polysaccharide fucoidan, focusing on product differentiation and predicted bioactivity. BioMara will carry out an initial evaluation of sustainable extraction methods for its fucoidan product, which will be targeted toward the functional food/supplements market. This work will encompass an innovative zero-waste biorefinery concept, also valorising all non-fucoidan biomass components and their potential applications. This project will underpin the entry of Biomara into the UK seaweed sector and support the development of sustainable, net-zero products from the growing UK seaweed farming industry. _"Scotland's marine biotechnology cluster is focused on the higher end of the value chain such as speciality products, cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, food and supplements."_ (_Biorefinery Roadmap for Scotland, 2019)_