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The lipidome of the red seaweed Gracilaria sp., cultivated on land-based integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) system, was assessed for the first time using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC–MS and MS/MS). One hundred and forty-seven molecular species were identified in the lipidome of the Gracilaria genus and distributed between the glycolipids classes monogalactosyl diacylglyceride (MGDG), digalactosyl diacylglyceride (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyl monoacylglyceride (SQMG), sulfoquinovosyl diacylglyceride (SQDG), the phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC), lyso-PC, phosphatidylglycerol (PG), lyso-PG, phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatic acid (PA), inositolphosphoceramide (IPC), and betaine lipids monoacylglyceryl- and diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethyl homoserine (MGTS and DGTS). Antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects promoted by lipid extract of Gracilaria sp. were evaluated by monitoring cell viability in human cancer lines and by using murine macrophages, respectively. The lipid extract decreased cell viability of human T-47D breast cancer cells and of 5637 human bladder cancer cells (estimated half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 12.2 μg/mL and 12.9 μg/mL, respectively) and inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) evoked by the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 (35% inhibition at a concentration of 100 μg/mL). These findings contribute to increase the ranking in the value-chain of Gracilaria sp. biomass cultivated under controlled conditions on IMTA systems.

The European, Canadian, and Latin American seaweed industries rely on the sustainable harvesting of natural resources. As several countries wish to increase their activity, the harvest should be managed according to integrated and participatory governance regimes to ensure production within a long-term perspective. Development of regulations and directives enabling the sustainable exploitation of natural resources must therefore be brought to the national and international political agenda in order to ensure environmental, social, and economic values in the coastal areas around the world. In Europe, Portugal requires an appraisal of seaweed management plans while Norway and Canada have developed and implemented coastal management plans including well-established and sustainable exploitation of their natural seaweed resources. Whereas, in Latin America, different scenarios of seaweed exploitation can be observed; each country is however in need of long-term and ecosystem-based management plans to ensure that exploitation is sustainable. These plans are required particularly in Peru and Brazil, while Chile has succeeded in establishing a sustainable seaweed-harvesting plan for most of the economically important seaweeds. Furthermore, in both Europe and Latin America, seaweed aquaculture is at its infancy and development will have to overcome numerous challenges at different levels (i.e., technology, biology, policy). Thus, there is a need for regulations and establishment of “best practices” for seaweed harvesting, management, and cultivation. Trained human resources will also be required to provide information and education to the communities involved, to enable seaweed utilization to become a profitable business and provide better income opportunities to coastal communities.

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The intent of the present work was to evaluate the potential of four macroalgae prevalent in Europe, namely Ulva rigida, Gracilaria sp., Fucus vesiculosus and Saccharina latissima, for application in functional foods, either in the direct form or as extracts. Accordingly, nutritional composition, the content of phytochemical antioxidants, and the inhibitory ability of key enzymes with impacts on obesity and diabetes (α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase) or on arterial pressure (angiotensin-I converting enzyme), were evaluated. Overall, protein, lipid, ash and fiber contents of the macroalgae ranged from 9–24% dw, 0.5–3.0% dw, 20–32% dw, and 37–45% dw, respectively, making them good candidates for nutritional supplementation of several foods, particularly due to their mineral and fiber contents. In addition, brown macroalgae, in particular F. vesiculosus, stood out for its superior phenolic content, which was reflected by its high antioxidant ability and inhibition towards α-glucosidase activity (0.032 mg/mL of hydroacetonic extract inhibited 50% of the enzyme activity).

31Ulva species, green macroalgae, are widely distributed in the water across the globe, 32 being one of the most heavily-traded edible seaweeds. Nonetheless, although this genus 33 has been largely used in scientific studies, its lipidome remains rather unexplored. The 34 present study sheds light over the lipid profile of Ulva rigida produced in a land-based 35 integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system using liquid chromatography 36 coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry for molecular lipid species identification. 37The lipidome of U. rigida revealed the presence of distinct beneficial n-3 fatty acids for 38 human health, namely alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). A 39 total of 87 molecular species of glycolipids, 58 molecular species of betaine lipids and 57 40 molecular species of phospholipids were identified in the lipidome of U. rigida including 41 some species bearing PUFA and with described bioactive properties. Overall, the present 42 study contributes to the valorization and quality validation of sustainably farmed U. 43 rigida. 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 Edible macroalgae are a good source of beneficial compounds for human health that 53 display distinct functional properties that stimulate interest to number of high-value 54 chains (e.g., medical, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical) (Holdt and Kraan 2011; Leal et al. 55 2013; Abreu et al. 2014; Rajauria 2015; Roohinejad et al. 2016). Ulva spp. have long 56 been listed in FAO as one of the main macroalgae for commercial use (Naylor 1976). 57 These popular green seaweeds can be used fresh, dried, or in liquid extracts, either for 58 direct or processed consumption worldwide (McHugh 2003; Barriga et al. 2017). 59 Popularly known in the human food market as sea lettuce, Ulva spp. belongs to class 60 Ulvophyceae and can be found in marine and brackish waters, being widely distributed 61 across the globe. Ulva species are well adapted to aquaculture production and can be 62 successfully cultured by using an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) 63 framework (Bolton et al. 2008; Msuya and Neori 2008; Marinho et al. 2013; Shpigel et 64 al. 2017). This innovative and sustainable culture approach mimics the natural ecosystem 65 of species from different trophic levels, associating the production of fed species (e.g. 66 finfish) with other extractive organisms, namely marine invertebrates and/or algae, that 67 incorporate organic and inorganic compounds resulting from the metabolism of fed 68 species, as well as from uneaten feed. Overall, IMTA promotes a balanced production 69 framework that is environmentally sustainable and viable from an economic point of view 70 (Barrington et al. 2009; Chopin et al. 2012). The culture of seaweeds under an IMTA 71 approach allows the removal of excess nutrients, namely phosphorus and nitrogen, from 72 wastewater (Neori 2009; Lawton et al. 2013), while enhancing quality and stability of 73 seaweeds biomass and their biochemical profile (Abreu et al. 2014). 74Ulva species are con...

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In recent years, noteworthy research has been performed around lipids from microalgae. Among lipids, glycolipids (GLs) are quite abundant in microalgae and are considered an important source of fatty acids (FAs). GLs are rich in 16- and 18-carbon saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and often contain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like n-3 α-linolenic (ALA 18:3), eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5) and docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6). GLs comprise three major classes: monogalactosyldiacyl glycerolipids (MGDGs), digalactosyl diacylglycerolipids (DGDGs) and sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerolipids (SQDGs), whose composition in FA directly depends on the growth conditions. Some of these lipids are high value-added compounds with antitumoral, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities and also with important nutritional significance. To fully explore GLs’ bioactive properties it is necessary to fully characterize their structure and to understand the relation between the structure and their biological properties, which can be addressed using modern mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomic approaches. This review will focus on the up-to-date FA composition of GLs identified by MS-based lipidomics and their potential as phytochemicals.