In the sheltered waters of northwest Tunisia’s Bizerte lagoon, a natural process is taking place that is creating jobs and reviving marine life. Led by Franco-Tunisian company Selt Marine, red algae is being transformed into valuable food additives using nothing but sunlight.
This innovative project involves turning the algae into plant-based gelatine, providing a sustainable alternative for the global food industry. It has taken three decades to launch due to ongoing research and environmental impact studies, but now spans 80 hectares of marine concessions and is set to grow even further with plans to invest €8 million over the next two years.
Inside a small workshop overlooking the lagoon, a group of women carefully wash the freshly harvested algae in large water tanks. “I clean them thoroughly, then they are dried. Once that’s done, the fishermen bring us a new batch, and we start over,” explains 55-year-old Mongia Thabet, who has been performing this task daily for almost seven years.
The algae is then laid out to dry under the Tunisian sun on large tables, a natural process that sets Selt Marine apart from its competitors who use chemical bleaching. “Most of our rivals, if not all, use peroxide to whiten the algae,” says company founder Mounir Boulkout. “We rely on the Tunisian sun to whiten ours, and that whiteness is a mark of quality for our clients.”
Boulkout, whose name in Arabic means “the one who gives food,” jokes that he feels a sense of obligation to create a product with ecological virtues. “In many processed products, you’ll find additives that are neither healthy nor plant-based. We create a product with ecological virtues,” he says.
This project not only benefits the environment but also provides employment opportunities for local women like Thabet. It also offers a sustainable solution for the food industry, which is increasingly looking for plant-based alternatives to traditional additives.
As the demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products continues to grow, Selt Marine’s project is a shining example of how natural processes can be harnessed to create valuable resources. By using the power of the sun, this project is not only transforming red algae into a valuable food additive but also making a positive impact on the environment and the local community.