Saccharina japonica

Saccharina japonica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Chromalveolata
Phylum:	Heterokontophyta
Class:	Phaeophyceae
Order:	Laminariales
Family:	Laminariaceae
Genus:	Saccharina
Species:	S. japonica
Binomial name
Saccharina japonica (J.E. Areschoug) C.E. Lane, C. Mayes, Druehl & G.W. Saunders
Synonyms
Laminaria japonica J.E. Areschoug Laminaria ochotensis Miyabe

Saccharina japonica (Dashi kombu) is a marine species of Phaeophyceae (brown algae), a type of kelp or seaweed, that is extensively cultivated in China, Japan and Korea.

A commercially important species Saccharina japonica is used for Kombu, Haidai , an important food flavouring from Japan. Large harvests are produced by rope cultivation, a simple method of growing seaweeds by attaching them to floating ropes in the ocean.^[1][2]

The species is native to Japan, but has been cultivated in China, Japan, Russia, France, and Korea.^[3] It is one of the two most consumed species of kelp in China and Japan.^[1] The harvest is also used for the production of alginates, with China producing up to 10 000 tonnes of the product each year.^[4]

The species was transferred to Saccharina in 2006.^[5] Three synonyms for this species name are Laminaria japonica J.E. Areschoug 1851, its variety Laminaria japonica var. ochotensis (Miyabe) Okamura 1936, and Laminaria ochotensis Miyabe 1902.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} M. D. Guiry. "Kelps: Laminaria and Saccharina". www.seaweed.ie. http://www.seaweed.ie/algae/laminaria.html. 
2. ^ Laminaria seafarming in China FAO[1]
3. ^ ^{a b} Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. (2008). "'Saccharina japonica'". AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=129141. 
4. ^ M. D. Guiry. "Alginates". www.seaweed.ie. http://www.seaweed.ie/uses_general/alginates.html. 
5. ^ Lane, C.E., Mayes, C., Druehl, L.D. & Saunders, G.W. (2006). A multi-gene molecular investigation of the kelp (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) supports substantial taxonomic re-organization. Journal of Phycology 42: 493-512.

See also

• Edible seaweed
• Seafood allergy
• Vitamin B12