Influence of drying treatment on three Sargassum species 2. Protein extractability, in vitro protein digestibility and amino acid profile of protein concentrates

The effects of different drying treatments (oven- and freeze-drying) on pro tein extractability of three subtropical brown seaweeds, Sargassum hemiphyl lum, S. henslowianum and S. patens, as well as in vitro protein digestibili ty and amino acid profile of their protein concentrates (PCs) were investig ated. When compared with freeze-drying, oven-drying not only improved signi ficantly ( p < 0.05, two-way ANOVA, Tukey-HSD) the protein extractability o f the three Sargassum species but also the protein quality ( in vitro prote in digestibility) of their PCs. Therefore, oven-drying was found to be more suitable for protein extraction of brown seaweeds. The relationships betwe en the protein extractability and total phenolic content in seaweeds and be tween in vitro protein digestibility and total phenolic content in PCs were also discussed.