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Effect of soaking and inositol phosphate content on in vitro mineral availability in edible seaweeds

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Abstract

Seaweeds are an ideal food-safe natural source of minerals with a potential use in human nutrition. However, the presence of phytate and different treatments before consumption could modify mineral availability. The content and in vitro mineral availability after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion of wakame (Undaria pinnatifida), nori (Porphyra spp.), sea salad (Ulva lactuca, Palmaria palmata, Undaria pinnatifida, Porphyra spp., Laminaria spp.), and sea spaghetti (Himanthalia elongata) were studied. Experiments were assessed after a soaking treatment of seaweeds with cold (20 °C) or hot (70 °C) water, as usually processing before eating. Moreover, inositol phosphate content was determined in the edible macroalgae and the molar ratio phytate/mineral was used as a predictor of the relative availability of minerals. Overall, edible analyzed seaweeds showed a high Ca, Fe, P, and K contents, highlighting wakame for all the studied minerals. In all cases, soaking in cold water showed the highest soluble and dialyzable mineral fractions. High content of phytic acid (IP6) was observed in sea salad (≈ 25 mg (100 g)−1); meanwhile, sea spaghetti showed the lowest IP6 content (3.9 mg (100 g)−1). The low molar ratios Phy/Ca and Phy/Zn obtained in seaweeds could indicate an adequate availability. However, ratios Phy/Fe could compromise the iron availability in wakame, nori, and sea spaghetti. Results obtained confirm that external factor such as soaking, gastrointestinal digestion, and inositol phosphates can affect the mineral availability. Consumption of edible seaweeds can be recommended for the necessary intake of available minerals and trace elements.

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Funding

We would like to thank to Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Spain), because of the economic opportunity of the PhD grant given to Teresa Sánchez-Moya (FPU 13/02380).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

    Teresa Sánchez-Moya, Valerie M. Martínez-Hernández, Rubén López-Nicolás, Carlos A. González-Bermúdez, Gaspar Ros-Berruezo & Carmen Frontela-Saseta

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  1. Teresa Sánchez-Moya
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  2. Valerie M. Martínez-Hernández
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  3. Rubén López-Nicolás
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  6. Carmen Frontela-Saseta
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Correspondence to Rubén López-Nicolás.

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Sánchez-Moya, T., Martínez-Hernández, V.M., López-Nicolás, R. et al. Effect of soaking and inositol phosphate content on in vitro mineral availability in edible seaweeds. J Appl Phycol 31, 1981–1989 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1677-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1677-x

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