LESSONIA TRABECULATA FROM PERU
Dried and chopped seaweed • Origin: Peru
1. Product identification
Product: Dried seaweed
Species / variety: LESSONIA TRABECULATA
Common name: Giant kelp / marine macroalgae
Style: Dried
Processing type: Chopped bulk
Drying process: Solar 5. Commercial specifications
Moisture content: Does not exceed 15%
Impurities:3% maximum
Cut size 0.6 mm – 38.0 mm; Other sizes available upon request
Packaging: 50 kg bags / big bags
Place of origin: Peru
Holdfast (Basal disc): Large, solid, flattened, and highly branched mass that adheres strongly to the rocky substrate.
Stipes: Upright, cylindrical, flexuous, and woody dark brown stems. Features internal mucilaginous canals.
Fronds / Blades: Flattened leaves with serrated or smooth edges growing from the dichotomy of the stipes.
Internal structure: Characterized by the presence of trabeculae (internal partitions crossing the lacunae in the fronds/stipes), a diagnostic feature that gives it its specific name (*trabeculata*). 3. Distribution and Habitat
Geographic distribution: Southeastern Pacific coast (starting from northern Peru).
Habitat: Marine benthic species of the subtidal zone (generally at depths of 2 to 30 meters).
Substrate: Exclusively on rocky bottoms subject to high wave action or cold coastal currents (associated with the Humboldt Current).
4. Ecological Importance
Ecosystem engineer / Habitat-forming species: Forms extensive “underwater forests” or “kelp beds.”
Refuge and nursery: Provides habitat, breeding grounds, feeding areas, and protection from predators for a wide diversity of invertebrates (sea urchins, snails, *locos* [Chilean abalone], crabs) and commercially important fish.
5. Uses and Industrial Importance
Alginate extraction: A primary source of raw material for extracting alginic acid (sodium and calcium alginates), a compound in high industrial demand:
Food industry: Thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent.
Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries: Binder for tablets, creams, and gels.
Textile and paper industries: Stabilizer for dyes and coatings.
Manures and fertilizers: Used in the production of agricultural biostimulants and seaweed meal for animal nutrition. — Please share your required specifications, destination port, and preferred shipping terms. Place your order via WhatsApp at +51968610577 or email: seaweed.peru@gmail.com contact me for more information.