Research & Development
Since its creation, OGT has been a SME very active in developing R&D to acquire a good understanding of the seaweed components, their activities, the effects of different industrial processes, stabilisation etc...
In addition, R&D enables OGT to continue to improve and innovate in further products and applications.
From the begining of its creation, OGT has developed particularly strong links with key research groups and centers including the Molecular GlycoBiotechnology Group in the Dept. of Biochemistry in the National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland); the Dept. of Applied Plant Science in Queen's University in Belfast (U.K.); the Centre for Valorisation of Algae (France)...
Among the work carried out to date through various R&D projects funded by Entreprise Ireland, Udaras na Gaeltachta and the Marine Institute, below are presented the main ones:
- Evaluate the natural seasonal and spatial variation of specific bioactive constituents of Ascophyllum nodosum
- Analyse the effects of different production processes on these molecules and;
- Test their bioactive potential after concentration. The complex polysaccharides of brown marine algae constitue one of the main focuses of these research projects.
- Provide baseline information for field and commercial trials of commercial products
OGT is also involved with other partners, from research or private commercial sectors, as well with collaborating clients to look at new product developments and more sustainable ways from raw material to end of production
A "Platform" product
OGT's production process has been designed to produce a high quality product consisting in freshly extracted seaweed with both unsoluble and soluble compounds; these compounds, due to the freshness standard imposed by OGT on the raw material and the the low-temperature production process, remain as high as it is naturally in the raw material and fully intact.
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