Physical Characteristics and Antioxidative Capacity of Major Seaweeds

Seaweeds is a rich sources of dietary fibers exerting a number of physiological properties. However, the reported dietary fiber contents of seaweeds are not consistent and vary widely. Also. a limited number of studies on the biological effects of specific seaweeds have been reported. In this study, water-holding capacity, viscosity and antixidantive activity of major dietary seaweeds were measured to assess their physiological effects. Results showed that total dietary fiber contents ranged from 28 to 51% of dried weight, and large proportions of dietary fiber were insoluble fibers. Water-holding capacity was highest in sea mustard being 1310% , while laver, sea tangle, and green laver exhibited 943, 854 and 815%, respectively. The viscosity of seaweed samples was 20 to 40 cP in sea mustard and sea tangle, while laver and green laver possessed much lower values. All seaweed samples revealed a weak, albeit significant electron donating ability. Also, lipid peroxidation was reduced by 7 to 18%. However, there was no difference in antioxidative activity among seaweeds and sample concernations used. These results imply that most commonly used seaweeds possibly exert parts of their physiological effects through their water-holding, gel-forming , and/or antioxidative activities.