ALGAE

Edible algae can be divided into two categories:

🌿 The freshwater microalgae, in which three main algae are found, all considered superfoods: Spirulina, Chlorella, and the so-called Klamath algae (named after Klamath Lake in Oregon, the only place on Earth where it is harvested).

🌿 The seaweed. In 2024, 25 algae are approved for consumption in France, while it is estimated that about 150 species are consumed daily worldwide. The approval processes for a new species are lengthy and costly in Europe.

Here are the 3 main categories of edible seaweed:

1. Brown algae: Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus serratus, Himanthalia elongata, Undaria pinnatifida, Laminaria digitata, and Saccharina japonica, Laminaria saccharina, Alaria esculenta
> we offer you the sea bean (Himanthalia elongata), the wakame (Undaria pinnatifida), and the kombu (Saccharina latissima).

2. Red algae: Palmaria palmata, Porphyra umbilicalis, Porphyra tenera, Porphyra yezoensis, Porphyra dioica, Porphyra purpurea, Porphyra laciniata, Porphyra leucostica, Chondrus crispus, Gracilaria verrucosa, Lithothamnium calcareum
> we offer you the dulse (Palmaria palmata) and the nori (Porphyra and Pyropia).

3. Green algae: Ulva, Enteromorpha
> we offer you the sea lettuce (Ulva Lactuca).

🪸 Only the wakame algae is cultivated for about half of the sold quantities, the other half comes from wild collections. In the long term, this algae, which proves to be particularly productive, will likely come exclusively from cultivation.

🪸 All other algae are freshly harvested by hand and on foot, mainly in the tidal zones where it is possible to harvest algae at low tide, such as in Roscoff, one of the emblematic algae collection sites in Europe.

Here is a video of a visit we made to Roscoff:

🪸 The most important economic stakeholders are based in this small community: BRETALG, the first historical collector in France since 1991 and with whom we have been collaborating since 2017, Bord à Bord, Marinoe, Algoplus...

> The list of edible algae is maintained in Europe by the European Union, and new algae are regularly proposed for introduction as edible algae (novel foods).

🌿 Seaweed is consumed in fresh or dried form, ideally organic and dried at low temperature, which is the case at Biovie!

🌿 On each of our product sheets and in our various "Questions-Answers" sections dedicated to fresh seaweed, dried seaweed, and microalgae, you will find details on their numerous benefits as well as recipe ideas.

> We invite you to consult our blog articles, scientifically sourced, to help you better understand seaweed:
Seaweed and microalgae: benefits, nutrients, culinary use
Demystifying the relationship between seaweed and the thyroid
Fucoidan: unveiling the benefits of brown seaweed for inspired longevity
Seaweed: the superfoods of the sea, allies for your health and the planet
Okinawa diet and seaweed: the secret to the longevity of Japanese centenarians
Plant-based iron: why seaweed beats red meat
Seaweed proteins: the complete alternative to meat decoded
Fucoxanthin: can this brown seaweed really help with weight loss?

🌿 On our YouTube channel, you can also find several videos about the use of seaweed, including this interview with a naturopath about their various nutritional virtues:

> We have also written two books and recipe books about seaweed. Feel free to get them to make the most of the exceptional taste qualities and nutritional richness of edible seaweed!

Cooking with Seaweed published by Marie Claire

Seaweed in Everyday Life published by Gallimard, Voted best cookbook in the world at the Gourmand Awards 2025 (SeaFood category) & Named best wellness cookbook of 2025 in France by the National Culinary Academy

🌿 Since 2014, Biovie has specialized in selling seaweed online in France. Few of us sell fresh seaweed online because it requires a close collaboration with the harvester (in our case, we work with France's first historical harvester, BRETALG), suitable refrigerated storage capacities, certification and organic traceability throughout the supply chain, and an impeccable logistics chain. It also requires knowledge of the weather, production, and availability constraints of the harvesters.

🌿 We receive a monthly shipment after each harvest during the high tides in Brittany. The freshness of our products is therefore optimal.
> If you just want to taste and test out of curiosity, you can probably buy a small tray of 150 or 200g in your usual organic store in the fresh section.
> However, if you wish to regularly add seaweed to your plate, enjoy it all year round, and prepare your own seaweed tartare, we recommend buying them in economical one-kilo format from Biovie!

🌿 We have personally and daily consumed seaweed for over 20 years, and we have written two recipe books on the subject:

Cooking with Seaweed published by Marie Claire,

Seaweed in Everyday Life published by Gallimard. Voted best cookbook in the world at the Gourmand Awards 2025 (SeaFood category) & Named best wellness cookbook of 2025 in France by the National Academy of Cuisine

🌿 We also write numerous blog articles scientifically sourced to help you better understand seaweed:

Seaweed and Microalgae: Benefits, Nutrients, Culinary Use
Demystifying the Relationship Between Seaweed and the Thyroid
Fucoidan: Unveiling the Benefits of Brown Algae for Inspired Longevity
Seaweed: The Superfoods of the Sea, Allies for Your Health and the Planet
Okinawa Diet and Seaweed: The Longevity Secret of Japanese Centenarians
Plant-Based Iron: Why Seaweed Beats Red Meat
Seaweed Proteins: The Complete Alternative to Meat Decoded
Fucoxanthin: Can This Brown Algae Really Help with Weight Loss?