Nutritional and bioactive compounds of commercialized algae powders used as food supplements

Abstract

The main nutritional/bioactive compounds (protein; aminoacids, AA; fucose; minerals; vitamins B12 and C; and total phenolic content, TPC) of nine commercial algae powders, used as food supplements, were studied. Undaria pinnatifida showed the highest protein/aminoacid contents (51.6/54.4 g 100 g^-1). Among brown macroalgae, Himanthalia elongata showed the highest fucose content (26.3 g kg^-1) followed by Laminaria ochroleuca (22.5 g kg^-1). Mineral contents of 15-24% were observed in the algae, being particularly excellent sources of iodine (69.0-472.0 mg kg^-1). Porphyra spp. and Palmaria palmata showed the highest vitamin B12 contents (667-674 µg kg^-1). Vitamin C ranged among 490.4-711.8 mg kg^-1. H. elongata showed the highest total phenolic content (14.0 g kg^-1). In conclusion, the studied algae are excellent sources of protein, AA, minerals, vitamin C and some of them presented particularly high vitamin B12 and fucose contents, which may have a potential use as food supplements.