Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential uses

doi:10.1016/S0924-2244(99)00015-1

Trends in Food Science & Technology

Volume 10, Issue 1, January 1999, Pages 25-28

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-2244(99)00015-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Seaweeds are traditionally used in human and animal nutrition. Their protein contents differ according to the species and seasonal conditions. Little information is available on the nutritional value of algal proteins and, especially, on the compounds that decrease their digestibility. This paper is a short review of the biochemical and nutritional aspects associated with seaweed proteins. Some perspectives on the potential uses of algal proteins for the development of new foods or additives for human or animal consumption are also discussed.

Section snippets

Protein content

The protein content of seaweeds differs according to species. Generally, the protein fraction of brown seaweeds is low (3–15% of the dry weight) compared with that of the green or red seaweeds (10–47% of the dry weight) 4, 5. Except for the species Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) which has a protein level between 11 and 24% (dry weight), most brown seaweeds industrially exploited (Laminaria digitata, Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus and Himanthalia elongata) have a protein content lower than

Amino acid composition

The amino acid composition of seaweeds has been frequently studied and compared to that of other foods such as eggs or soybean. For most seaweeds, aspartic and glutamic acids constitute together a large part of the amino acid fraction. In Fucus sp. (brown seaweeds), Munda reported that these two amino acids can represent between 22 and 44% of the total amino acids [12]. In the green seaweeds, the level of these two amino acids can represent up to 26 and 32% of the total amino acids of the

Protein digestibility

The main studies the in vitro digestibility of algal proteins were performed from proteins extracted in strong alkaline conditions 2, 3. Their digestion is carried out by means of three enzymes, pepsin, pancreatin and pronase. The relative digestibility of algal proteins is generally expressed as a percentage of casein digestibility base (100%). In this context, the relative digestibility of alkali-soluble proteins from Porphyra tenera is higher than 70% in the presence of pronase and 56% with

Potential uses of algal proteins

With respect to their high protein level and their amino acid composition, the red seaweeds appear to be an interesting potential source of food proteins. In Europe, the development of novel foods such as functional foods could be a new possibility for the use of seaweeds, especially for the protein-rich species, in human nutrition. In addition, the Rhodophyceae contain a particular protein called phycoerythrin (PE) which is already used in biotechnology applications (dye in immunofluorescence

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Differences in amino acid composition of estuarine and marine fucoids
Aquatic Botany
(1977)
FAO data...
T. Fujiwara-Arasaki et al.
The protein value in human nutrition of edible marine algae in Japan
Hydrobiologia
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Selective isolation of glycoprotein materials from the green seaweed Ulva lactuca
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The main seaweed food in Japan

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Chemical composition of the green alga Ulva lactuca

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Cited by (737)

Comparative evaluation of amino acid profiles, fatty acid compositions, and nutritional value of two varieties of head water Porphyra yezoensis: “Jianghaida No. 1” and “Sutong No.1”
2024, Food Chemistry: X
Comparative nutritional analysis of Porphyra yezoensis strains “Jianghai No. 1” and “Sutong No.1” revealed significant differences in crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, crude ash, and total sugar. Both strains contained 16 amino acids, with alanine as the highest and histidine the lowest content. Methionine was determined to be the first limiting amino acid for both strains in both amino acid score and chemical score assessment. They also featured 24 fatty acids, differing notably in four saturated fatty acids and five unsaturated fatty acids. All 12 mineral elements were present, notably differing in sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc. The “Jianghai No. 1” strain stands out with its nutrient-rich profile, featuring high protein content, low fat, and abundant minerals, which could potentially command higher market prices and generate greater economic benefits due to its superior nutritional, and set a strong foundation for its future large-scale promotion and cultivation.
Extraction and purification of seaweed protein from Ulva sp. - Challenges to overcome
2024, LWT
Ulva sp. has gained attention as a promising and sustainable protein source, due to its high essential amino acid content. This study investigated traditional extraction methods using a double screw press followed by acid or heat precipitation. Furthermore, the screw pressing was combined by a novel purification method that combines mild heat treatment with microfiltration for removal of chlorophyll, to produce white Ulva protein. The double screw press followed by acid precipitation or heat denaturation showed low total protein yields, with 14% of the biomass protein extracted, of which half was soluble. The highest total protein yield (5.5%) was achieved with acid precipitation at pH 2, while heat denaturation at 90 $°C$ resulted in a total protein yield of 4.1%. Acid precipitation proved to be effective with $\sim$ 81% precipitation of solubilized protein compared to $\sim$ 43% for heat denaturation. While microfiltration effectively retained chlorophyll in the retentate, the recovery of protein in the permeate remained challenging. SDS-PAGE analysis of proteins in different microfiltration-fractions showed that larger protein complexes (>250 kDa) were unable to transmit through the membranes, resulting in a maximum recovery of 24.9% of the feed-protein in the permeate. Further refinement of Ulva fractionation protocols is imperative for improvement.
A review on Persian Gulf brown algae as potential source for anticancer drugs
2024, Algal Research
Cancer remains one of the most formidable challenges in modern medicine, and its global impact on human health underscores the urgency for advancing treatment methods. Despite the significant progress in understanding the complex biology of cancer and the development of different therapeutic approaches, the search for new anticancer agents for cancer treatment is very important. Marine organisms are a valuable source for the development of new agents for clinical application. Brown algae, a group of marine macroalgae abundant in the Persian Gulf, have emerged as a promising source of bioactive compounds with potent anticancer properties. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the current advances regarding the anti-cancer activity of the Persian Gulf brown algae as a valuable reservoir of anticancer agents. Among marine organisms, algae are a large and diverse group of organisms from which a wide range of secondary metabolites have been isolated. This review shows the active components of the Persian Gulf brown algae along with their antitumor potential for cancer treatment according to their structure. It also describes and discusses various extraction techniques and compound modification methods. The species of Sargassum seaweed is the most researched for anticancer properties in the Persian Gulf. The results of various studies in this study show that Persian Gulf brown algae extracts and fractions have different cytotoxic effects on various types of cancer cell lines. These organisms have the ability to produce compounds with promising properties that can be used in the biomedicine field. These compounds have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, which can be useful for medicinal chemists in the development of effective anti-cancer drugs.
Production and characterization of protein-rich extracts from the red macroalga Gelidium corneum and its industrial agar extraction residues
2024, Algal Research
The red macroalga Gelidium corneum is a species commercially exploited for agar extraction, though with enormous potential for other industrial applications. This work aimed to produce protein-rich extracts from the crude alga and from residues of the industrial agar extraction process by applying different extraction and recovery procedures, and to characterize the obtained protein extracts.
The sequential implementation of two water extractions followed by two alkaline extractions resulted in the recovery of 12.0 ± 1.2 % and 15.4 ± 0.9 % of the total protein contents of the crude alga and industrial residues, respectively. Two sequential water extractions assisted by Celluclast® and Alcalase® enzymes followed by two alkaline extractions recovered 52.1 ± 1.7 % and 36.5 ± 1.3 % of the protein contents of the crude alga and industrial residues, respectively. Extracts produced by these processes were characterized focusing on proximal composition, protein accessibility, nutrition and antioxidant potential, showing value as aquaculture feed ingredients.
As all protein products revealed high carbohydrate contents and, aiming at enriching protein content, different protein precipitation methods were assessed, namely through ammonium sulfate precipitation and pH-shift protocols. The pH-shift method in sequential mode proved to be simple and fast with low reagent consumption. The purification of extracts by this precipitation mode allowed precipitating up to 72 % of the extracted protein.
The results obtained suggest that protein concentrates extracted from Gelidium corneum appear to be promising sustainable sources for fish feed production, owing to their essential amino acid content, protein bioaccessibility and antioxidant properties.
Protein and peptide from blue food for neurological disorder: Advances and prospective
2024, Trends in Food Science and Technology
The summary explores the newly emerging area of employing proteins and peptides derived from blue foods to address the intricacies associated with neurological conditions.
Considering the increasing prevalence of these diseases, there is a growing interest in investigating innovative therapy strategies. In this context, blue foods have emerged as a potentially promising area of study. Marine-derived sources, such as microscopic algae, seafood, and crustaceans, offer various bioactive chemicals that possess potential neurological advantages. The review that follows gives a general summary of the many bioactive proteins and peptides included in blue foods, which have exhibited neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties in preclinical investigations. The review also explores the potential pathways via which these chemicals may exhibit positive impacts on neurological conditions including their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neurotrophic actions. The summary elucidates some of the challenges associated with the successful acquisition and extraction of these chemicals, while simultaneously preserving their bioactivity. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of conducting comprehensive scientific investigations to ensure their effectiveness and safety in promoting neurological well-being in humans.
In summary, the paper emphasizes the substantial upside potential of proteins and peptides derived from blue food sources as an important strategy in the search for novel therapies for neurological disorders.
Algae as a potential source of protein: A review on cultivation, harvesting, extraction, and applications
2024, Algal Research
Continuous population growth has increased the demand for food and nutrition, which leads to a decline in agricultural land needed per person to grow crops. Thus, it is essential to find alternative sources to meet nutritional requirements. Algae have become a potential and sustainable alternative source of protein, which has a high nutritional value. Due to their high protein content microalgae are commonly used as a nutritional supplement in the form of powder, pills, or tablets. Algal proteins can be efficiently isolated using various extraction methods, and can be a good source of food additives. Additionally, they have been added to a variety of functional foods, such as noodles, bread, biscuits, beverages, chocolates, and beer. This review provides a comprehensive, and critical overview of cultivation, harvesting, extraction, and numerous applications of microalgae as a potential source of protein. Algae cultivation under different growth conditions as well as algae harvesting from algal biomass is summarized. Recent advances in algal extraction methods, such as physical/chemical extraction as well as assisted extraction methods including pulsed electric field, ultrasound, enzyme, and microwave are summarized and discussed. Additionally, information on the nutritional content of different types of algae in terms of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate content as well as microalgae-derived bioactive peptides, phycobiliproteins, and amino acids is provided.

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Trends in Food Science & Technology

Abstract

Section snippets

Protein content

Amino acid composition

Protein digestibility

Potential uses of algal proteins

References (24)

Differences in amino acid composition of estuarine and marine fucoids

Aquatic Botany

The protein value in human nutrition of edible marine algae in Japan

Hydrobiologia

Review of chemical constituents of the red alga Palmaria palmata (Dulse)

Econ. Bot.

Contribution à l'étude de la composition en azote total, en protéines et en acides aminés protéiques des différentes parties du thalle de Laminaria digitata (Huds.) Lamour. dans le cadre de son exploitation industrielle et agricole

Bull. Soc. Phycol. de France

Selective isolation of glycoprotein materials from the green seaweed Ulva lactuca

Pakistan Journal of Biochemistry

The main seaweed food in Japan

Hydrobiologia

Chemical composition of the green alga Ulva lactuca

Ciencas Marinas

Cited by (737)

Comparative evaluation of amino acid profiles, fatty acid compositions, and nutritional value of two varieties of head water Porphyra yezoensis: “Jianghaida No. 1” and “Sutong No.1”

Extraction and purification of seaweed protein from Ulva sp. - Challenges to overcome

A review on Persian Gulf brown algae as potential source for anticancer drugs

Production and characterization of protein-rich extracts from the red macroalga Gelidium corneum and its industrial agar extraction residues

Protein and peptide from blue food for neurological disorder: Advances and prospective

Algae as a potential source of protein: A review on cultivation, harvesting, extraction, and applications

ReviewSeaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential uses

Abstract

Section snippets

Protein content

Amino acid composition

Protein digestibility

Potential uses of algal proteins

Aquatic Botany

The protein value in human nutrition of edible marine algae in Japan

Hydrobiologia

Review of chemical constituents of the red alga Palmaria palmata (Dulse)

Econ. Bot.

Contribution à l'étude de la composition en azote total, en protéines et en acides aminés protéiques des différentes parties du thalle de Laminaria digitata (Huds.) Lamour. dans le cadre de son exploitation industrielle et agricole

Bull. Soc. Phycol. de France

Selective isolation of glycoprotein materials from the green seaweed Ulva lactuca

Pakistan Journal of Biochemistry

The main seaweed food in Japan

Hydrobiologia

Chemical composition of the green alga Ulva lactuca

Ciencas Marinas

Review
Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential uses