The oceans have always been known as an important source of ingredients such as omega-3s, but Dr Williams believes the oceans have much more to offer.
Williams said that as the area develops, we should begin to see “a new wave of marine ingredients” which could provide new functionalities including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients, as well as more traditional antioxidant sources.
According to Williams, marine sources of ingredients are still “an underexplored source”, that offers huge potential in terms of producing naturally derived ingredients to meet consumer demands.
“In five to ten years time, I think we will really see a real growth of marine derived ingredients in the food environment,” he said.