Laminarin Powder

Extracted from the thallus of the brown seaweed Laminaria digitata, laminarin powder is the short-chain, water-soluble β-glucan that kelp stores as its energy reserve. Alginate, fucoidan, mannitol and salts are removed, and the dried glucan is a fine light yellow powder that dissolves clearly in water.

The primary grade carries beta-glucans ≥70% by enzymatic assay, with an 80% option, and moisture and ash are each ≤5.0%. The powder is milled to 80 mesh and is supplied for dry blends, clear drink mixes, capsules and tablets.

SKU: BOT-BPS-0054 Category: Botanical Polysaccharides Tags: Gummies & Chews, Polysaccharides, Seaweed & Algae, Water Extracted, Water Soluble, Water-Extracted Fractions

Laminarin Identity

Laminarin powder comes from Laminaria digitata (Huds.) J.V.Lamour., the oarweed or tangle, a brown seaweed whose frond, called the thallus, is the source. Laminarin is the storage glucan of brown algae. It accumulates in the fronds through summer and into autumn and is drawn down in winter and spring, so the season of harvest affects how much glucan the seaweed holds.

The molecule is a short chain of glucose units joined by β-(1→3) bonds, with β-(1→6) branches along the chain. The chains are small compared with cereal glucans, a few thousand daltons, and they come in two types: one ends in a glucose unit and the other in the sugar alcohol mannitol. The degree of branching decides solubility, and the laminarin of Laminaria digitata is the cold-water-soluble type, unlike less branched forms from some other kelp species.

Laminarin is a glucan, not a sulfated fucoidan, and it is not the same as the alginate that makes up much of kelp’s structure. Extraction in warm, mildly acid water, followed by removal of alginate and fucoidan, leaves laminarin in solution, and it is then concentrated and dried. Free mannitol, which is abundant in kelp, is also removed as far as possible.

Laminarin differs from other β-glucans in the catalog by linkage and solubility: paramylon is linear and insoluble, cereal glucans carry mixed β-(1→3) and β-(1→4) bonds, and yeast glucan is a particulate. Brown algae also accumulate arsenic from seawater, which is why the metal limits matter for seaweed ingredients.

Polysaccharide Content & Test Method

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
70% Beta-Glucan	≥70% Beta-Glucans (Enzymatic)	Clear drink mixes and soluble sachets
80% Beta-Glucan	≥80% Beta-Glucans (Enzymatic)	Compact capsules and low-dose tablets

Both grades are expressed as beta-glucan measured enzymatically, not as total carbohydrate. The assay uses a laminarinase, an enzyme that cuts β-(1→3) glucan, followed by β-glucosidase to release glucose, which is then measured. Because laminarin has a mannitol-ended chain type, the glucose released is slightly less than the glucan mass, a detail that a good assay corrects.

A UV-Vis phenol–sulfuric reading would behave differently and is not used for this grade. It would report any sugar from the sample, including residual mannitol-free sugars, alginate fragments and fucoidan. The enzymatic result is specific to the β-(1→3) glucan, and a laminarin product quoted by a total-sugar method cannot be compared with these values.

Sample preparation is simple compared with insoluble glucans. Laminarin dissolves in water, so the sample is dissolved, filtered and incubated with the enzymes without a pretreatment step, and results should state whether they are on a dry or as-is basis. The 70% and 80% values carry no information about chain length or branching.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Laminaria digitata
Plant Part	Seaweed & Algae
Processing	Water Extraction & Purification
Common Name	Laminarin (kelp β-glucan)
Ingredient Type	Polysaccharide Extract
Polysaccharide Type	β-(1→3)-glucan with β-(1→6) branches
Content	Beta-Glucans ≥70% (Enzymatic)
Available Grades	Beta-Glucans ≥70% (Primary) · ≥80% (Enzymatic)
Appearance	Light Yellow powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
Quality Parameters
Moisture	≤5.0% (LOD)
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Laminarin Solution Behavior

Laminarin dissolves readily in cold water to a clear, pale yellow solution. Chains are short, so the viscosity is low even at high concentration, far below that of cereal glucans, and the solution does not gel. This makes laminarin one of the easier glucans to place in a clear drink.

It is also a neutral polymer. Unlike fucoidan or alginate, laminarin carries no charge, so it does not bind calcium, magnesium or basic proteins, and mineral waters, dairy bases and protein drinks leave it undisturbed. It tolerates a wide pH range and ordinary heat treatment, with only strong acid at high temperature breaking the chains.

The glucan is a reducing sugar polymer, and the mannitol-ended chains are not, so heating with amino compounds can brown the solution slowly. The flavor is faintly sweet and marine in the crude seaweed extract and nearly neutral in the purified powder.

The powder is strongly hygroscopic because the chains are short and highly water-binding. It cakes quickly in open air, so containers are resealed after weighing. No viscosity values are stated for this grade.

Application Areas

Clear Water-Soluble Drink Mixes

Laminarin powder dissolves into clear solutions, so it fits flavored waters and lightly sweetened drink mixes where haze is unwelcome. Because it is neutral and low in viscosity, it does not thicken the drink or interact with added minerals.

Mineral-Containing Sachets

Single-dose sachets that contain calcium or magnesium can carry laminarin without precipitation, which is not true of charged polysaccharides. A moisture-barrier laminate is still needed, since the powder pulls water from the air within hours of opening. Sachet fill weight is verified on samples from the start, middle and end of each run to catch moisture-driven clumping early.

Compact Capsule Fills

The 80% grade reaches more glucan per capsule and is the practical choice for small shells. Free-flowing powder needs a flow agent only if humidity is high, and a desiccant pack protects stored capsules from caking.

Coated Tablet Cores

In tablets, laminarin compresses with common binders but picks up moisture during wet processes. A film coat or a sealed blister limits uptake, and hardness plus disintegration time should be checked after humid storage. Film-coat weight gain is kept consistent between lots so that disintegration time does not drift after storage.

Soft Chew Syrups

Dosed into the cooled syrup of a gummy base, the short-chain glucan adds soluble solids without altering the gel, since it does not compete strongly with the gelling agent. Color is judged after a week to catch slow browning.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.