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Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2022) | Viewed by 29858

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Clélia Neves Afonso

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Guest Editor

MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, Edifício CETEMARES, Av. Porto de Pesca, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal
Interests: marine biotechnology; food science; marine algae; marine microbiology; bioactive compounds of marine origin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Leonel Pereira

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Marine Resources, Conservation and Technology, Marine Algae Laboratory, Centre for Functional Ecology—Science for People & the Planet (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: marine biotechnology; phycology; biodiversity; nutraceuticals
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Dr. Teresa Mouga

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Guest Editor

MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal
Interests: seaweed cultivation; seaweed food applications; food science; bioactive compounds of seaweeds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine environments represent an important source of food resources, including seaweed. These are under the focus of the food sector, as healthy and nutritious ingredients, but also as sources of functional additives. The nutritional effects of seaweed are due to the presence of proteins, polysaccharides (including phycocolloids), minerals and vitamins, pigments, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), among others. The benefits associated with the use of macroalgae in the food sector are not limited, however, to their nutritional value but also include effects such as prebiotics and the presence of compounds with bioactivities as diverse as immunostimulants, antimicrobials, antioxidants, anti-aging, hypocolesterolemic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral, among others, which have been shown to be extremely important for human health and wellbeing. The food industry, which traditionally uses, for example, thickeners extracted from seaweeds, has increasingly sought to diversify the use of these organisms and shows interest in using them as sources of bioactive and functional additives, thus seeking to increase the benefits associated with the incorporation of these compounds in food products. The most recent advances seek to develop new ways of using seaweeds in the food sector, whether in application as packaging materials such as edible coatings, as sources of coloring additives, preservatives, and others, or in food innovation, increasing the value and demand for seaweeds and their compounds.

Dr. Clélia Neves Afonso
Prof. Dr. Leonel Pereira
Dr. Teresa Mouga
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

seaweed
food additives
functional foods
food sector
valorization
innovation
food security

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sensory, Physicochemical, and Cooking Qualities of Instant Noodles Incorporated with Red Seaweed (Eucheuma denticulatum)

by Wee Yin Koh, Patricia Matanjun, Xiao Xian Lim and Rovina Kobun

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2669; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11172669 - 01 Sep 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6261

Abstract

Instant noodles are consumed worldwide, but instant noodles are often unhealthy. Therefore, in the current study, instant noodles were produced with composite flour (a blend of wheat flour and potato starch at weight ratios of 9:1, 8:2, and 7:3) incorporated with red seaweed powder (Eucheuma denticulatum) in proportions of 0, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15%. The noodles’ sensory, physicochemical, and cooking properties were then determined. The incorporation of 7.5–15% of seaweed powder significantly (p < 0.05) increased the cooking yield, reduced the cooking loss, lengthened the cooking time, and decreased the pH values and water activity. The addition of seaweed powder weakened the tensile strength and softened the noodles. Seaweed noodles were denser and greener than control noodles. Among the three seaweed noodles (F2, F5, and F12) selected through the ranking test, panelists preferred F2 and F5 (both scoring 4.63 on a 7-point hedonic scale for overall acceptability) more than F12. Overall, F5 (at a wheat flour: potato starch ratio of 9:1; 15% seaweed powder) is the best-formulated seaweed noodle in this study, owing to its highest cooking yield and lowest cooking loss even with prolonged cooking, lowest water activity, and acceptable sensory qualities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

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21 pages, 319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seaweed Value Chain Stakeholder Perspectives for Food and Environmental Safety Hazards

by Jennifer L. Banach, Sophie J. I. Koch, Yvette Hoffmans and Sander W. K. van den Burg

Foods 2022, 11(10), 1514; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11101514 - 23 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3352

Abstract

With a world population estimated at 10 billion people by 2050, the challenge to secure healthy and safe food is evident. Seaweed is a potential answer to this challenge. Expanding the use of seaweed in food systems requires an emphasis on safe practices to avoid adverse human health effects after consumption and irreversible damage to marine ecosystems. This study aims to evaluate relevant food safety and environmental safety hazards, monitoring measures, and mitigation strategies in the seaweed sector. For this study, a literature review, survey (n = 36), and interviews (n = 12) were conducted to identify hazards. The review and interviews aimed at pinpointing monitoring measures and mitigation strategies applied, while the survey revealed data gaps and further actions needed for the sector. Relevant food safety hazards include (inorganic) arsenic, iodine, and heavy metals, among others, such as pathogenic bacteria, while environmental hazards include environmental pathogens and parasites introduced into the ecosystem by domesticated seaweed, among others. Measures applied aim at preventing or mitigating hazards through good hygienic or manufacturing practices, food safety procedures or protocols, or pre-site farm selection. Although the future needs of the seaweed sector vary, for some, harmonized advice and protocols that align with a changing food system and hazard knowledge development as well as information on the benefits of seaweed and regulating climate and water quality may help. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

17 pages, 731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Biological Potential of Himanthalia elongata (L.) S.F.Gray and Eisenia bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell Subcritical Water Extracts

by Inês Gomes, Helena Rodrigues, Carla Rodrigues, Marta Marques, Paula Paíga, Alexandre Paiva, Pedro Simões, Virgínia Cruz Fernandes, Mónica Vieira, Cristina Delerue-Matos, Cristina Soares and Clara Grosso

Foods 2022, 11(5), 746; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11050746 - 03 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3033

Abstract

Neuroprotection is a need that remains unmet in treating chronic neurodegenerative disorders, despite decades of extensive research. To find new neuroprotective compounds, extracts of Himanthalia elongata (L.) S.F.Gray and of Eisenia bicyclis (Kjellman) Setchell were obtained through subcritical water extraction applying a four-step temperature gradient. The fractions obtained were screened against brain enzymes involved in neurodegenerative etiology, namely in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, all contributing factors to the progression of neurodegeneration. Results showed no significant enzyme inhibition but strong radical scavenging activities, particularly in the fourth fraction, extracted at the highest temperature (250 °C), highlighting their ability to retard oxidative and nitrosative stresses. At higher temperatures, fractions were composed of phenolic compounds and Maillard reaction products, a combination that contributed to their antioxidant activity and, consequently, their neuroprotective properties. All fractions were evaluated for the presence of iodine, 14 organochlorine and 7 organophosphorus pesticides, and pharmaceuticals used in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases (14), psychiatric drugs (8), and metabolites (8). The fractions studied did not present any of the screened contaminants, and only fraction 1 of E. bicyclis should be used with caution due to iodine content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

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16 pages, 2654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Disintegration and Particle Size Sieving of Chondrus crispus (Irish Moss) Gametophytes and Their Effect on Carrageenan and Phycoerythrin Extraction

by Adiguna Bahari, Katlijn Moelants, Marie Kloeck, Joel Wallecan, Gino Mangiante, Jacques Mazoyer, Marc Hendrickx and Tara Grauwet

Foods 2021, 10(12), 2928; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10122928 - 26 Nov 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1959

Abstract

To better understand the migration properties of hybrid carrageenan from the seaweed tissue during carrageenan extraction, the effect of increasing the seaweed surface area by the mechanical disintegration of gametophyte Chondrus crispus chips was studied under various temperature and time extraction conditions. Dried Chondrus crispus seaweed chips were milled by a rotor beater mill and classified into eight different size fractions by sieving with varying mesh sizes from 50 to 2000 μm. During extraction at 22 °C, the red color of the filtrate increased significantly with the decreasing particle size of the fraction, correlating with the increasing phycoerythrin concentration (from 0.26 mg PE/g dry seaweed in the >2000 μm size fraction to 2.30 mg PE/g dry seaweed in the <50 μm size fraction). On the other hand, under the same extraction conditions, only a small increase in carrageenan precipitate was obtained with the decreasing size fractions (from no recovery in the >2000 μm size fraction to 2.1 ± 0.1 g/kg filtrate in the <50 μm size fraction). This yield was significantly lower than the ones from extractions at 45 °C (5.4 ± 0.1 g/kg) or at 90 °C (9.9 ± 2.1 g/kg) for the same particle size and time conditions. It could be concluded that hybrid carrageenan extraction is not surface area dependent, while phycoerythrin is. Therefore, it seems that phycoerythrin and carrageenan extraction follow different mechanisms. This creates potential for the selective extraction of each of those two compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

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17 pages, 1103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Arabian Gulf Seaweeds from Kuwait as Sources of Nutritionally Important Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs)

by Hanan Al-Adilah, Tahani Khalaf Al-Sharrah, Dhia Al-Bader, Rainer Ebel, Frithjof Christian Küpper and Puja Kumari

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2442; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10102442 - 14 Oct 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2161

Abstract

The fatty acid (FA) compositions of ten seaweeds representative of Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta, and Ochrophyta from Kuwait in the Arabian Gulf region were determined and are discussed in the context of their potential nutritional perspectives for seaweed valorization. All the seaweeds had higher saturated fatty acid (SFA) and lower monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents than those typical of tropical environments. Palmitic, myristic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, α-linolenic, and stearidonic acids were the major FAs detected. Arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids were detected in minor amounts. Conserved fatty acid patterns revealed phylogenetic relationships among phyla, classes, and orders matching the molecular phylogenies at higher taxonomic ranks. Hierarchical clustering analyses clearly segregated different seaweeds (except Codium papillatum and Iyengaria stellata) into distinct groups based on their FA signatures. All but one species (Chondria sp.) had health-beneficial n6/n3 PUFAs (0.33:1–2.94:1) and atherogenic (0.80–2.52) and thrombogenic indices (0.61–5.17). However, low PUFA/SFA contents in most of the species (except Ulva spp.) may limit their utilization in the formulation of PUFA-rich functional foods. Ulva spp. had substantially high PUFAs with PUFA/SFA > 0.4, n6/n3 (0.33–0.66) and atherogenic (0.80–1.15) and thrombogenic indices (0.49–0.72), providing substantial potential for their utilization in food and feed applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

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19 pages, 1084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Nutritional Profile of Gelidium corneum (Rhodophyta, Gelidiaceae) from the Center of Portugal

by Mário Cavaco, Adriana Duarte, Marta V. Freitas, Clélia Afonso, Susana Bernardino, Leonel Pereira, Mendelson Martins and Teresa Mouga

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2394; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods10102394 - 09 Oct 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4214

Abstract

Gelidium corneum is a well-known agarophyte, harvested worldwide for its high agar quality. However, the species also exhibits an interesting nutritional profile, but with seasonal variations. Therefore, to evaluate the nutritional value of G. corneum, ash, crude protein, total lipids, and carbohydrates were analyzed at different times of the year. The heavy metals mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and tin, as well as iodine were also measured. Finally, the seasonal antioxidant capacity of G. corneum extracts was evaluated. Our results indicate that the biomass is rich in protein (up to 16.25 ± 0.33%) and carbohydrates (up to 39.5 ± 3.29%), and low in lipids (up to 2.75 ± 0.28%), and especially in the summer, the AI, TI indexes, n-6/n-3 and h/H ratios (0.93, 0.6, 0.88 and 1.08, respectively) are very interesting. None of the contaminants exceeded the legally established limits, and the iodine values were adequate for a healthy diet. Finally, the antioxidant capacity is fair, with the DPPH ≤ 10.89 ± 1.46%, and ABTS ≤ 13.90 ± 1.54% inhibition, FRAP ≤ 0.91 ± 0.22 AAE.g⁻¹, and TPC ≤ 6.82 ± 0.26 GAE.g⁻¹. The results show that G. corneum is an attractive resource, with potential use as food or as a food supplement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

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Review

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24 pages, 8587 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Nutrients, Phytochemicals, and Health Benefits of Green Seaweed, Caulerpa lentillifera

by Nur Syakilla, Ramlah George, Fook Yee Chye, Wolyna Pindi, Sylvester Mantihal, Noorakmar Ab Wahab, Fazlini Mohd Fadzwi, Philip Huanqing Gu and Patricia Matanjun

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2832; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/foods11182832 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6938

Abstract

Caulerpa lentillifera is a type of green seaweed widely consumed as a fresh vegetable, specifically in Southeast Asia. Interestingly, this green seaweed has recently gained popularity in the food sector. Over the last two decades, many studies have reported that C. lentillifera is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds that contribute many health benefits. On the other hand, there is currently hardly any article dedicated specifically to C. lentillifera regarding nutritional composition and recent advancements in its potential health benefits. Hence, this study will summarise the findings on the nutritional content of C. lentillifera and compile recently discovered beneficial properties throughout the past decade. From the data compiled in this review paper, it can be concluded that the nutrient and phytochemical profile of C. lentillifera differs from one region to another depending on various external factors. As a result, this paper will offer researchers the groundwork to develop food products based on C. lentillifera. The authors of this paper are hopeful that a more systematic review could be done in the future as currently, existing data is still scarce. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Valorization and Use of Seaweeds in the Food Sector)

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