Seaweeds

Abstract

Seaweeds are microalgae growing in coastal regions and resistant to salinity. Seaweeds are rich resources of natural nutrients some of which cannot be obtained from terrestrial plants. Bioactive compounds of seaweeds such as sulphated polysaccharides, peptides, minerals, phlorotannins, carotenoids and sulfolipids have proven health benefits against various diseases. Traditionally, seaweeds are used as folk medicine for treating diseases like goiter, wounds, burns, rashes, inflammation, diabetes and also gaining attention of pharmaceutical industries due to their anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-angiogenesis, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and antioxidant properties. Seaweeds polysaccharides have wide applications in foods as well as in pharmaceutical industry due to their bio-chemical properties such as stabilizer, emulsifier and gelling property. In food industry, seaweed polysaccharides are used as a functional ingredient in many products such as frozen foods, ice-cream, jam, jelly, beverages etc. Several commercial food preparations from seaweeds are also available in the market such as sea salt, nori snack wasabi, pink rock salt, seaweed thins toasted coconuts, crunchy seaweed chips, raw unroasted seaweed under different brand names. The present review is a compilation of nutritional, pharmacological and food properties of seaweeds along with its potential towards development of functional foods.

Antiproliferative and apoptosis‐inducing effects of aqueous extracts from Ecklonia maxima and Ulva rigida on HepG2 cells

“…Previous reports have shown that consumption of seaweeds may prevent the development of degenerative diseases and reduce their progression (Peñalver et al, 2020;Pereira & Valado, 2021). Seaweeds are functional foods and are a reservoir of naturally occurring biologically active compounds (Pandey et al, 2020). In our previous work on high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) characterization of some seaweeds, we reported that E. The ability of KP and URL to reduce changes in mitochondria membrane potential in HepG2 cells may contribute to the observed induction of apoptosis.…”

“…Previous reports have shown that consumption of seaweeds may prevent the development of degenerative diseases and reduce their progression (Peñalver et al, 2020; Pereira & Valado, 2021). Seaweeds are functional foods and are a reservoir of naturally occurring biologically active compounds (Pandey et al, 2020). In our previous work on high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS) characterization of some seaweeds, we reported that E. maxima (KP) contain phlorotannins such as phloroglucinol and other phenolic compounds, including catechin, epicatechin‐3 glucoside, rutinose, vulgaxanthin, biochanin A and 1‐Caffeoyl‐4‐deoxyquinic acid (Olasehinde, Olaniran, & Okoh, 2019c).…”

Seaweeds as a Source of Functional Proteins

“…Hydrocolloids like agar, alginates and carrageenan, and alkaloids, carotenoids, polyphenols, terpenes, tocopherols, laminarin, and fucoidan, among many others, have all been used as functional ingredients in bakery, dairy, fish, meat, and vegetable-based products [11,32]. Seaweed contains a considerable amount of protein that can be used to fulfil nutritional requirements or to treat malnutrition [9]. N. tenera (formerly P. tenera), N. yezoensis (formerly P. yezoensis), P. columbina (formerly P. columbina), and P. umbilicalis, Gracilaria spp., Sargassum wightii, Eucheuma spp., and many other species have been used in different varieties of seaweed-based foods and beverages such as wine, instant soup, noodles, jam, jelly, tea, porridge, soft cheese, sausages, among others, to enhance their nutritional value [32,174].…”

Dietary exposure to heavy metals and iodine intake via consumption of seaweeds and halophytes in the European population

“…(Peña‐Rodríguez et al., 2011). Moreover, seaweeds seem to also be a good source of diverse bioactive compounds, for instance peptides with antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiviral activities, among others (Holdt and Kraan, 2011; Pandey et al., 2020; Lomartire and Gonçalves, 2022).…”