3 Alginic acid is a stabilizer made of brown seaweed and an important ingredient in industrial production. Chile is one of the world s largest producers of brown seaweed for alginic acid. This study describes the recent trends in brown seaweed production for alginic acid in Chile. Chilean brown seaweed production increased rapidly in the 2000s. This raised China s purchasing power, as it replaced the use of kombu kelp produced by aquaculture. Consequently, the price of brown seaweed increased,

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... s did the income of algueros seaweed gatherers In recent years, the gathering of brown seaweed in northern Chile has increased and it is now gathered in previously untouched areas.