Physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of laver cultivars harvested at different times

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of Pyropia dentata harvested in November (PD11), Pyropia seriata harvested in December (PS12), and Pyropia yezoensis harvested in December (PY12), January (PY01), or March (PY03). Total amino acid content (mg/100 g dry wt.) was high: PY01 (41,009.52) > PY12 (40,914.26) > PS12 (35,720.29) > PD11 (33,762.75) > PY03 (32,906.54). The major minerals within the three laver cultivars were Ca, K, Mg, and Na. PD11 exhibited the highest contents of shinorine (2,089.84 mg/ 100 g dry wt.) and porphyra-334 (3,127.96 mg/100 g dry wt.), which are mycosporine-like amino acids. Of the PY samples harvested at different times, PY03 exhibited the highest contents of shinorine (19.00 mg/100 g dry wt.) and porphyra-334 (438.31 mg/100 g dry wt.). The total phenol content was higher in PD11 (702.99 mg tannic acid equivalent/100 g) than those in the other samples. PD11 had the highest 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical-scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant activities. The results provide basic information regarding the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activities of laver cultivars harvested at different times.