Biochemical composition of seaweeds from Veraval coastal regions along Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, India

Abstract

Seaweeds are the macrophyte marine algae; a primitive variety of plants absent of true roots, steam and leaves. The term seaweed gives the erroneous impression that it is a useless plant but seaweeds are miracle plants of the sea and extremely useful plants. Among all these Indian coastal states Tamil Nadu and Gujarat states contributes more seaweed resource. Seaweeds were mainly utilized for food, medicine, fertilizers etc. In this study, four seaweed species were identified viz., red seaweed species Gracilaria corticata and Hypnea musciformis, Green seaweed species Ulva reticulata and Brown seaweed species Sargassum cinctum. The biochemical composition of those species were studied for Crude Protein, Fat, Carbohydrate, Moisture and Ash content. The values of biochemical composition were varies from; crude protein: 12.21±0.01-16.59±0.03%, lipid content: 0.20±0.02-3.10±0.04%, carbohydrate content: 46.74±0.03-58.16±0.05%, moisture content: 2.75±0.01-7.90±0.03 and ash content: 21.86±0.02-32.08±0.01%, which represents these available seaweed resources in future could become one of the supreme important resource and so in future this scenario ultimately causes the utilization and demand of seaweed was goes on increasing, not only along the India, but also from all over the world.