Abstract
Ulva macroalgae species are recognized to be an underexploited source of key nutrients, including proteins, fibers and minerals. The present work evaluated the nutritional value protein, ash, mineral composition, fat, fatty acid profile and dietary fiber of the green macroalgae Ulva rigida produced in an open land-based integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system, over four seasons. Overall, protein and fat content of the farmed algae ranged between 7.6 and 25.8% DW and between 0.2 and 1.3% DW, respectively, reaching the highest levels during autumn/winter seasons. In turn, total dietary fiber and ashes showed a contrary seasonal tendency, reaching maximum levels in spring (40.9–58.3% DW and 25.5–38.8% DW, respectively). Notably, the latter were particularly characterized by their richness in potassium, magnesium and iron, and a sodium/potassium ratio bellow 1.7. Variable cultivation conditions of stocking density (Sd) and flow rate (Fr) were also tested, allowing to confirm that manipulation of cultivation conditions in an IMTA system may help to improve the nutritional value of this macroalga and to boost its market value through its use as a functional food ingredient.
Highlights
According to the United Nations States, the world population will reach 9.8 billion in and, by that time, fish and seafood will be one of the most-sought food resources [1]
The general cultivation conditions used by ALGAplus are available at the website of the company, while some specific conditions used in this study are part of internal protocols of the industry, which are subjected to confidentiality issues
Our results indicate that protein content in the green macroalgae grown under an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) regime could be changed by setting flow rate (Fr) and stocking density (Sd), or both parameters
Summary
According to the United Nations States, the world population will reach 9.8 billion in and, by that time, fish and seafood will be one of the most-sought food resources [1]. One of the most recognized ecological approach is integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), which basically combines the cultivation of species from different trophic or nutritional levels in the same system [8]. This strategy allows the exploitation of synergetic interactions between different species, associating the production of fed species (e.g., finfish) with other extractive organisms, such as marine invertebrates and/or algae. Algae were grown under different conditions of water flow rate and stocking conditions, in order to evaluate possible impacts of such cultivation factors on the chemical profile of this green macroalga
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