Amino acid composition of some Brazilian seaweed species

Fourteen common seaweed species from northeastern Brazil were examined for protein content and amino acid composition. Protein content varied greatly among the species, ranging from 2.30% (dry weight basis) in Corallina offic inalis to 25.60%, in Amansia multifida. The species Amansia multifida, Caul erpa sertularioides, Enantiocladia duperreyi, Solieria filiformis and Vidal ia obtusiloba had protein levels comparable to those of many edible legume seeds, above 18%. They showed high levels of acidic amino acids and reasona ble levels of essential amino acids, with methionine being the first limiti ng amino acid for most of the species. The exceptions were Sargassum vulgar e that had a very high content of methionine and Caulerpa sertularioides in which lysine is the first limiting amino acid and methionine the second li miting one. All species are rich in phenylalanine/tyrosine and threonine, a nd six are very good sources of lysine. The potential use of these species as food and/or feed is discussed.