Abstract:
The proximate nutrient composition, amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals profiles of Caulerpa lentillifera collected from Hainan were studied, and compared with the other five edible seaweeds, such as Laminaria japonica, Porphyra haitanensis, Hizikia fusiformis, Ulva lactuca L., and Gracilaria lemaneiformis, to evaluate their nutritional values. The results revealed that crude polysaccharides and crude fibers in C. lentillifera reached up to 58.52% DW. The crude protein content of C. lentillifera was 14.37% DW, and the composition and kinds of its amino acids were balanced. The content of amino acids for flavor development was 47.86% of total amino acid.In addition, the crude fat content in C. lentillifera was low, and most of its fatty acids were unsaturated fatty acid. Furthermore, minerals and vitamins were rich in C. lentillifera, especially for Na, K, Mg, and Ca. Therefore, C. lentillifera containing high proteins and dietary fibers content, low fat content and richer mineral content, might be the safe and healthy edible seaweed, which showed a good application potential in food industry and feed industry.