Abstract

The increasing use of seaweeds in European cuisine led to cultivation initiatives funded by the European Union. Ulva lactuca, commonly known as sea lettuce, is a fast growing seaweed in the North Atlantic that chefs are bringing into the local cuisine. Here, different strains of Arctic U. lactuca were mass-cultivated under controlled conditions for up to 10 months. We quantified various chemical constituents associated with both health benefits (carbohydrates, protein, fatty acids, minerals) and health risks (heavy metals). Chemical analyses showed that long-term cultivation provided biomass of consistently high food quality and nutritional value. Concentrations of macroelements (C, N, P, Ca, Na, K, Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Co, Mn, I) were sufficient to contribute to daily dietary mineral intake. Heavy metals (As, Cd, Hg and Pb) were found at low levels to pose health risk. The nutritional value of Ulva in terms of carbohydrates, protein and fatty acids is comparable to some selected fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains.

Keywords

Amino acid; Fatty acid; Food quality; Heavy metals; Iodine; Minerals; Nordic cuisine; Protein; Sugar

Published in

Food Chemistry
2021, Volume: 341, number: Part 1, article number: 127999

SLU Authors

• Lage, Sandra

  • Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Stockholm University

• Gentili, Francesco

  • Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture


UKÄ Subject classification

Food Science
Agricultural Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127999

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109439