The Effect of Carrageenan and Glycerol Addition on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Nori, an Analogue of Genjer Leaves (Limnocharis flava)

Analogue nori is produced through cooking, molding, and drying processes using non- seaweed materials. This study utilized genjer leaves (Limnocharis flava) as the primary raw material due to their physical resemblance to commercial nori, with carrageenan added as a gelling agent to improve structural compactness and glycerol as a plasticizer to enhance moisture retention and flexibility. The objective was to determine the optimal carrageenan–glycerol proportion to obtain the best physicochemical qualities. A two-factor Completely Randomised Design with two replications was applied, consisting of carrageenan (1%, 1.5%, and 3%) and glycerol (1%, 1.5%, and 2%) concentrations. The optimal treatment (3% carrageenan and 2% glycerol) produced analogue nori with 14.44% moisture, 12.03% ash, 17.22% fat, 5.31% crude fiber, 5.74% dietary fiber, 40.57% antioxidant activity, 0.45 mg/kg lead, and a tensile strength of 0.0148 N/mm², indicating its potential as a functional nori alternative Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 2: Zero HungerSDG 3: Good Health and Well-BeingSDG 12 : Responsible Consumption and ProductionSDG 14 : Life Below Water