Study of the Seasonal Variations of the Fatty Acid Profiles of Selected Macroalgae

Abstract

Due to the high consumption of fat-rich processed foods, efforts are being done to reduce their saturated fat (SFA) contents and replace it with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), creating a necessity to find alternative PUFA sources. Macroalgae, being a promising natural source of healthy food, may be such an alternative. The fatty acid (FA) profile of Fucus spiralis, Bifurcaria bifurcata, Ulva lactuca, and Saccorhiza polyschides were determined through direct transesterification and their seasonal variation was studied. F. spiralis showed the highest FA content overall, B. bifurcata presented the higher PUFA amounts, and U. lactuca and S. polyschides the higher SFA. The production of FA was shown to be influenced by the seasons. Spring and summer seemed to induce the FA production in F. spiralis and B. bifurcata while in U. lactuca the same was verified in winter. U. lactuca presented a ω6/ω3 ratio between 0.59 and 1.38 while B. bifurcata presented a ratio around 1.31. The study on the seasonal variations of the macroalgal FA profile can be helpful to understand the best season to yield FA of interest, such as ALA, EPA, and DHA. It may also provide valuable information on the best culturing conditions for the production of desired FAs.

Fatty acid composition of different structures in Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh from the sub-Antarctic Magellan Ecoregion: nutritional and biomedical potential

“…Among the structural components found in high concentrations in macroalgae are lipids, particularly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Their consumption has been linked to the reduction of the effects of cardiovascular diseases, different types of cancer, osteoarthritis and diabetes, among others (Marhino et al 2015;da Costa et al 2019;do Amaral et al 2020;Pereira et al 2021;Rocha et al 2022;Healy et al 2023). Currently, there is a noticeable surge in such diseases worldwide, making it the major cause of death (World Health Organization).…”

“…Recently, the lipid composition of macroalgae has attracted considerable interest due to their high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly α-linolenic (18:3n-3), stearidonic (18:4n-3), arachidonic (20:4n-6) and eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3) acids, which are essential dietary components in humans and animals. These PUFAs also possess antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties (Kendel et al 2015;da Costa et al 2019;do Amaral et al 2020;Saini et al 2021;Kargin and Bilgüven 2022) and play a crucial role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, and diabetes (Marhino et al 2015;da Costa et al 2019;Pereira et al 2021;Rocha et al 2022;Healy et al 2023). Moreover, they have been suggested as potential candidates for PUFAs supply, showing higher concentrations than those found in terrestrial vegetables (Marhino et al 2015).…”

Laminar Ulva Species: A Multi-Tool for Humankind?

“…Palmitic acid (16:0) emerged as the primary constituent, accounting for 21.51%, while oleic acid (18:1n9c) contributed 10.60% as a monounsaturated fatty acid. Some literature also shows that green algae also contain large amounts of palmitolinolenic (16:3ω3) and palmitidonic (16:4ω-3) acid [118,128,155,156].…”

Development, Characterisation, and Consumer Acceptance of an Innovative Vegan Burger with Seaweed

“…The fatty acid content in the VBS was then estimated using an equation [33,34] and conversion factors were supplied by USDA [35].…”

“…It also helps in reducing the bitter taste of grass pea. Palmaria palmata was the selected seaweed due to its potential to substitute table salt, high potassium, iodine, and vitamin C content, as well as flavour [32,33]. All other raw materials were selected to improve flavour and texture.…”