Impact of marine micro- and macroalgal consumption on photoprotection

Abstract

The enormousness of species diversity of oceans leads to the isolation and development of health- and beauty-enhancing components from various marine organisms. The significance of these marine-derived compounds or substances has been scientifically well implied for various biological and biomedical parameters. One such important parameter is photoprotectivity, which is the major concern nowadays because of the depletion in ozone layer and the possible high risk of UV irradiation to humans. The marine macro- as well as microalgae and their food products, knowingly and unknowingly, have been used since hundreds of years. These foods possess tremendous implications in defending the highly hazardous UV radiation, thereby facilitating photoprotection to humans. In addition, based on the recent studies, many of the UV-protecting algal species is directed for the use as medicinally valuable foods and food ingredients. This chapter describes certain micro- and macroalgal species along with their photoprotective importance.