Nutritional and safety assessment of brown seaweed species and their extracts

This study examines the nutritional profiles of Bifurcaria bifurcata (BB), Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), and Fucus spiralis (FS), as well as their extracts obtained through microwave-assisted extraction. Compositional analysis covered residual water, volatiles, fixed carbon, ash, lipids, sugars, protein, and fiber. Proximate analysis revealed high protein levels in FS (9.72%) and BB (ext) (4.95%). Lipid content ranged from 1.26% to 4.49%, and fiber content averaged 52.3%, with FS peaking at 60.2%. The study applied indices of atherogenicity (AI), thrombogenicity (TI), and the hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic (HH) ratio to assess the cardiovascular impact, with FS exhibiting the healthiest fatty acid combination. Amino acid analysis revealed the presence of all essential amino acids except phenylalanine. Taurine, beneficial for cardiovascular health and scarce in plant sources, was found to be significantly present in BB. Additionally, the presence of polyphenols was assessed by HPLC-MS/MS. It revealed a panoply of phenolic compounds, with phlorotannins accounting for more than 50% of the compounds detected. Acceptable risk levels were confirmed by Estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and total cancer risk (TCR) analyses, even when considering moderate values of inorganic arsenic. The results highlight the nutritional value and safety of these macroalgae, emphasizing their potential applications in food.