Seto Windarto, Yusuf Jati Wijaya, Diwyacitta Antya Putri, Ahmad Khoirul Umam
Seaweeds support food, health, and sustainability, yet global production is dominated by red and brown taxa. The green macroalga Caulerpa (“sea grapes”/“green caviar”) remains underutilized despite notable nutritional and functional potential. This review synthesizes current knowledge on Caulerpa taxonomy, biology, distribution, cultivation, utilization, and sustainability. As siphonous, coenocytic algae, Caulerpa spp. are prevalent in tropical–subtropical waters, with some lineages invasive outside native ranges. Farming spans traditional lagoon culture in Southeast Asia to modern aquaculture and IMTA. Post-harvest advances (e.g., brining, UV-C, improved packaging) extend shelf life, though quality trade-offs remain. Nutritionally, Caulerpa provides proteins, polysaccharides, PUFAs, minerals, and vitamins; bioactives (e.g., sulfated polysaccharides, caulerpin, caulerpenyne) exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic activities primarily in experimental models. Applications include foods, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, fertilizers/feeds, and bioenergy. Key constraints are short shelf life, variable cultivation standards, limited market acceptance beyond Asia, and ecological/biosecurity risks. Priorities include standardized cultivation and post-harvest protocols, selective breeding, toxicology and exposure assessments, and enabling harmonized policies. With sustainable management, Caulerpa could evolve from niche product to “green gold of the ocean,” aligning ecological responsibility with economic opportunity. © 2025, Egyptian Society for the Development of Fisheries and Human Health. All rights reserved.
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia; Department of Oceanography, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia; Department of Food Technology and Agricultural Product, Faculty of Food Security, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, 60231, Indonesia; Department of Animal Products Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya, Kediri, 64111, Indonesia
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