Combined De-Algination Process as a Fractionation Strategy for Valorization of Brown Macroalga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharina japonica</Emphasis>

A combined process, de-algination followed by enzymatic saccharification, was designed to produce alginate and glucose from Saccharina japonica consecutively. The process conditions of de-algination were optimized separately for each stage of acidification and alkaline extraction. Collectively, the de-algination yield was 70.1% under the following optimized conditions: 2.4 wt% of Na₂CO₃, 70 °C, and 100 min with the acidified S. japonica immersed in a 0.5 wt% H₂SO₄ solution for 2 h at room temperature. The glucan content in the de-alginated S. japonica increased to 38.0%, which was approximately fivefold higher than that of the raw S. japonica. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the de-alginated S. japonica almost completed in 9 h, affording 5.2 g (96.8% of glucan digestibility) of glucose at a de-alginated S. japonica loading of 14.2 g.