Seasonal composition of lipids, fatty acids, and sterols in the edible red alga Grateloupia turuturu

• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-012-9876-3
• Publication Date: 2012-07-24T04:50:41Z
• Authors: Melha Kendel; Aurélie Couzinet-...; Michèle Viau; Joël Fleurence; Gilles Barnathan; Gaëtane Wielgosz-...
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 2. Zero hunger; 570; CHEMOTAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE; Seaweeds; Grateloupia turuturu; 540; Lipids; MARINE MACROALGAE; Sterols; 03 medical and health sciences; LIGHT; Rhodophyta; SEAWEEDS; [SDV.IDA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Food engineering; [SPI.GPROC]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Chemical and Process Engineering; Fatty acids; Phospholipids

Composition of lipids, sterols, fatty acids (FA), and phospholipids in the edible Rhodophyta Grateloupia turuturu from Britanny, France, was investigated over four seasons in order to identify compounds with potential benefits in health and nutrition. The lipid content was found to vary from 3.3 to 4.1 % dry weight. No marked variations were observed for glycolipids accounting for 42.3–46.8 %, whereas neutral lipids and phospholipids fluctuated from 20.1 % (summer) to 41.8 % (winter), and 11.2 % (winter) to 33.4 % (summer), respectively. Polyunsaturated FA of the total lipids were found from 20.4 % (winter) to 31.1 % (summer), including 20:5 ω3 acid as the major one (up to 16.3 % in summer). Phosphatidylcholine (20.0–43.7 %) and phosphatidylserine (24.6–37.5 %) were the dominant phospholipids in all seasons. Compounds of interest were identified in minor amounts such as squalene, α-tocopherol, phytonadione (vitamin K1), cholesteryl formate, cholest-4-en-3-one, and cholesta-4,6-dien-3-one. Cholesterol was the major sterol with a lower content in spring and summer.