Abstract
Sabella spallanzanii and Microcosmus squamiger were profiled for proximate composition, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids (FA), carotenoids, radical scavenging activity on the 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and iron and copper chelating properties. Microcosmus squamiger had the highest level of moisture and crude protein, S. spallanzanii was enriched in crude fat and ash. Both species had similar levels of carbohydrates and energy. There was a prevalence of arginine and glycine in S. spallanzanii, and of taurine in M. squamiger. The most abundant minerals in both species were Na, Ca, and K. The methanol extract of S. spallanzanii had metal chelating properties towards copper and iron, while the methanol extract of M. squamiger was able to chelate copper. M. squamiger extracts had similar ORAC values. Fucoxanthinol and fucoxanthin were the major carotenoids in the M. squamiger dichloromethane extract. Saturated FA were more abundant than unsaturated ones in methanol extracts, and unsaturated FA prevailed in the dichloromethane extracts. Palmitic acid was the predominant FA in methanol extracts, whereas eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acids were the major compounds in dichloromethane extracts. Low n-6/n-3 ratios were obtained. Our results suggests that both species could be explored as sources of bioactive ingredients with multiple applications.
Highlights
More than 40,000 marine natural products (MNPs) have been identified, from several organisms, including macro- and micro-algae and different taxa of invertebrates, such as sponges, cnidarians, tunicates, mollusks, echinoderms, and bryozoans [1]
We have focused on the Animals 2021, 11, 3557 nutritional profile of the animal’s biomass, including proximate composition, minerals, and amino acids levels, and on the fatty acids (FA), carotenoid contents, and on the antioxidant properties of methanol and dichloromethane extracts obtained from said biomass
Blue Biotechnology is considered by the European Union (EU) as one of the bases for the blue growth agenda, which aims to guarantee the sustainable use of marine resources [36]; efforts are being applied to identify new marine species as sources of products with commercial applications, such as medical drugs, foodstuffs, feed, and cosmetics [37,38,39,40,41]
Summary
More than 40,000 marine natural products (MNPs) have been identified, from several organisms, including macro- and micro-algae and different taxa of invertebrates, such as sponges, cnidarians, tunicates, mollusks, echinoderms, and bryozoans [1]. Research on MNP has focused on marine invertebrates, which produce a plethora of primary and secondary metabolites vital to complex adaptation mechanisms to the marine life conditions, including defense from predators, competitors, and infective agents, coping with salinity and UV radiation, and inter-individual signalization [2] Such metabolites belong to different classes (e.g., polyketides, terpenoids, alkaloids, lipids), exhibit highly relevant pharmacological properties, (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral), and have multiple industrial applications, for example, in the food, cosmetic and aquaculture sectors. The Mediterranean fan worm Sabella spallanzanii (Gmelin, 1791) (Phylum: Annelida, Class: Polychaeta) (Figure 1A) is a native species from the temperate zone of the Mediterranean Sea and Southern European Atlantic coast and is an invasive species in Australia and New Zealand [3,4,5] It is commonly found on the sediment substrate or artificial hard surfaces to a depth of 30 m and is part of the diet of several fish species and invertebrates, including cephalopods [6]. Marine invertebrates, including Polychaeta, are widely used as feed ingredients, especially in diets for shrimp [6]
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