Nutritional Value and Quality Change of Sea Grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera) After Harvesting

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate nutritional value and quality change of sea grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera) after harvesting. For nutritional value evaluation of fresh sea grapes, the content of moisture, protein, fat ash, carbohydrate, crude fiber, amino acid vitamin and mineral were analyzed. The toxic heavy metals were also analyzed. For quality change of sea grapes, pigment, antioxidant and total variable count (TVC) were analyzed. The result showed that the content of moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohydrate were 94.40%, 1.34%, 0.00%, 2.80% and 1.45% respectively, while crude fiber was 0.02%. The highest content of amino acid was arginine (251.94 mg/100 g) followed by methionine (128.06 mg/100 g) and lysine (104.28 mg/100 g). 9 types of mineral and vitamin (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, sodium, riboflavin (B2), vitamin C and vitamin A) were analyzed, only vitamin C and vitamin A were not found. Toxic heavy metals that analyzed were under standards. After storage at room temperature for 10 days, pigment contents (chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b) of sea grape were decreased.  During storage, total variable counts were increased and out of standard after 10 days of storage. Phenolic compound was quite stable while trend of ferric reducing antioxidant power was decreased. Then sea grape should be storage not more than 1 week at room temperature for good nutritional value and microbiological safety.