Red jania is a photophilic perennial seaweed found in calm waters which grows on rocks near the surface exposed to the light or in sandy basins. Depending on light intensity, its colour varies from pinky-white in very bright light, to violet-pink in lower light levels. Its fine, multi-branched stems composed of stiff, cylindrical segments give the foliage a characteristic pom-pom look. "Activated" red jania is when the seaweed is cultivated in different conditions which encourage it to synthesize an optimal quantity of taurine. This photobioreactor cultivation makes it possible to collect the seaweed in their medium in one go, so the composition of the extract is constant and controlled throughout the year.