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Morphology of Osmundea pinnatifida (a, b) and variations in coloration upon the location in the coast: (c) higher shore seaweed, (d) lower shore seaweed
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Osmundea pinnatifida is an edible red seaweed well-known for its strong smell and a slightly spicy taste that resembles mussels, crabs, or truffles, therefore being commonly called “pepper dulse” or “truffle of the sea.” Due to these features, it has a great potential for gastronomic purposes (either in simple/traditional or haute cuisine dishes),...
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... Osmundea pinnatifida is a red marine alga known for its diverse carotenoid composition and potential health benefits [25]. Table 1 presents the carotenoid composition of this alga, which was chosen as the matrix in this study to evaluate the bioaccessibility of these natural pigments. ...
Carotenoids, prominent lipid-soluble phytochemicals in the human diet, are responsible for vibrant colours in nature and play crucial roles in human health. While they are extensively studied for their antioxidant properties and contributions to vitamin A synthesis, their interactions with the intestinal microbiota (IM) remain poorly understood. In this study, beta (β)-carotene, lutein, lycopene, a mixture of these three pigments, and the alga Osmundea pinnatifida were submitted to simulated gastrointestinal digestion (GID) and evaluated on human faecal samples. The results showed varying effects on IM metabolic dynamics, organic acid production, and microbial composition. Carotenoid exposure influenced glucose metabolism and induced the production of organic acids, notably succinic and acetic acids, compared with the control. Microbial composition analysis revealed shifts in phyla abundance, particularly increased Pseudomonadota. The α-diversity indices demonstrated higher diversity in β-carotene and the pigments’ mixture samples, while the β-diversity analysis indicated significant dissimilarity between the control and the carotenoid sample groups. UPLC-qTOF MS analysis suggested dynamic changes in carotenoid compounds during simulated fermentation, with lutein exhibiting distinct mass ion fragmentation patterns. This comprehensive research enhances our understanding of carotenoid-IM interactions, shedding light on potential health implications and the need for tailored interventions for optimal outcomes.
... Concerning Osmundea sp. PSs, the monosaccharides content varied over the year and collection site, in which glucose was higher in spring in Galician coast samples, and galactose, xylose and arabinose in summer, corresponding to the peak of vegetation, as described by Silva and Pereira [38]. This typical composition follows the results obtained for the O. pinnatifida extract used in the work of Rodrigues et al. [39], with higher content of galactose and lower quantities of xylose. ...
Crude polysaccharides extracted from the Codium sp. and Osmundea sp. macroalgae collected in different seasons (winter, spring and summer) from the Galician and North Portugal coasts were characterised, aiming to support their biomedical application to wound healing. An increase in polysaccharides’ sulphate content was registered from winter to summer, and higher values were obtained for Osmundea sp. In turn, the monosaccharide composition constantly changed with a decrease in glucose in Osmundea sp. from spring to winter. For Codium sp., a higher increase was noticed regarding glucose content in the Galician and Portugal coasts. Galactose was the major monosaccharide in all the samples, remaining stable in all seasons and collection sites. These results corroborate the sulphate content and antioxidant activity, since the Osmundea sp.-derived polysaccharides collected in summer exhibited higher scavenging radical ability. The biocompatibility and wound scratch assays revealed that the Osmundea sp. polysaccharide extracted from the Portugal coast in summer possessed more potential for promoting fibroblast migration. This study on seasonal variations of polysaccharides, sulphate content, monosaccharide composition and, consequently, biological properties provides practical guidance for determining the optimal season for algae harvest to standardise preparations of polysaccharides for the biomedical field.
... It has several biological activities, including antifungal activity [14]. This alga is already commercially available, and encouraging results concerning its potential cultivation have been reported [15]. Finally, the algal species B. bifurcata is a brown alga widespread on the European Atlantic coast, distributed from Morocco to Ireland [16]. ...
The current control of gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic nematodes mainly relies on the widespread use of anthelmintics, which has inevitably led to resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new sources of antiparasitic compounds. Macroalgae represent a rich source of active molecules and are widely described as having medicinal properties. In the present study, we investigated the potential anthelmintic activity of aqueous extracts from three species of algae (Bifurcaria bifurcata, Grateloupia turuturu and Osmundea pinnatifida) on the murine parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri. Using a set of complementary in vitro tests, including larval development assays, egg hatching tests and nematicidal activity assays on larvae and adults, we report the nematicidal activity of aqueous extracts of B. bifurcata. In addition, aqueous extract fractionation using liquid/liquid partitioning with a solvent of increasing polarity was performed in order to identify the groups of active molecules underlying the anthelmintic activity. Non-polar extracts (heptane, ethyl acetate) demonstrated high anthelmintic potential, highlighting the role of non-polar metabolites such as terpenes. Here, we highlight the strong anthelmintic potential of the brown alga B. bifurcata on a mouse model of GI parasites, thus confirming the strong interest in algae as natural alternatives for the control of parasitic nematodes.
... This is mainly as a food seasoning because of O. pinnatifida having a unique peppery taste, but there is also interest for its potential in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. Its biochemical composition may be particularly valuable, with various secondary metabolites reported as having interesting properties (see review Silva and Pereira 2020) and that may be linked to the taste/flavour of the species (Biancacci et al. 2021). ...
Cultivation of Osmundea pinnatifida (Hudson) Stackhouse in flasks and/or tanks has yet to be developed beyond the lab scale. However, establishment of a methodology for the supply of this red seaweed has great potential, considering that it can be exploited either as food or as a source of biologically active compounds with potential nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. This study investigates the possibility of growing O. pinnatifida in the Algem® photo bioreactor (PBR) system, normally utilised for microalgae cultivation, and examines the antioxidant content of the biomass. The cultures were incubated in the Algem® PBRs under a set of environmental parameters established in a previous seasonality study at a single location on the west coast of Scotland. The growth of the cultures in the PBR was monitored, the biomass assessed for antioxidant content, and results compared with seasonal samples, to assess how the PBR system affects the biochemistry of this species. Analyses centred on antioxidant activity and included Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Ferric Iron Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP). A significant increase in the antioxidant content, two to five-time higher compared to wild samples, was achieved by cultivating the biomass in the PBR. This study highlights that the production of antioxidant compounds in O. pinnatifida can be improved by increasing photoperiod and light intensity and manipulating the wavelength. This information provides important insights into how cultivation conditions for this species can be tailored to increase production and improve the composition of the product of interest.
... Wild-harvested and dried biomass is already marketed by a few companies in the UK and Ireland as a food seasoning with a unique peppery taste, but there is also research potential in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical elds. Its biochemical composition may be particularly valuable, with various secondary metabolites reported with interesting properties (see review Silva and Pereira 2020) and that may be linked to the taste/ avour of the species (Biancacci et al. 2021). ...
Cultivation of Osmundea pinnatifida (Hudson) Stackhouse in flasks and/or tanks has yet to be developed beyond the lab scale. However, establishment of a methodology for the supply of this red seaweed has great potential, considering that it can be exploited either as food or as a source of biologically active compounds with potential nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. This study investigates the possibility of growing O. pinnatifida in the Algem® photo bioreactor (PBR) system, normally utilised for microalgae cultivation, and examines the antioxidant content of the biomass. The cultures were incubated in the Algem® PBRs under a set of environmental parameters established in a previous seasonality study at a single location in the west of Scotland. The growth of the cultures in the PBR was monitored, the biomass assessed for antioxidant content, and results compared with seasonal samples, to assess how the PBR system affects the biochemistry of the species. Analyses centred on antioxidant activity and included Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Ferric Iron Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP). A significant increase in the antioxidant content, two to five-time higher compared to wild samples, was achieved by cultivating the biomass in the PBR. This study highlights that the production of antioxidant compounds in O. pinnatifida can be improved by increasing photoperiod and light intensity and manipulating the wavelength. This information provides important insights into how cultivation conditions for this species can be tailored to increase production and improve the composition of the final product.
... While relatively few cultivation trials have been undertaken with O. pinnatifida (Silva 2015;Gonçalves 2018;Biancacci 2019), more information is available on its nutrient levels, bioactive properties, and biochemical profile (see for review Silva and Pereira 2020). This study is complementary to the research presented in Biancacci et al. (2021), looking at the same dataset but analysing different components, and demonstrates for the first time that the proximate, metal, antioxidant, C:N ratio, and pigment content of wild-harvested O. pinnatifida from the west coast of Scotland varies between months and across seasons, with evident seasonal patterns observed for the majority of the components analysed, also highlighting links between the composition of the species and the environmental factors explored. ...
Osmundea pinnatifida (Pepper Dulse) is a commercially interesting red alga harvested from the wild and sold dried as seasoning due to its distinctive peppery taste. For the first time, this research highlights how the proximate composition, metal, antioxidant, pigment content, and C:N ratio of this species varied over a 12-month period in wild biomass collected from the same location on the west coast of Scotland. The nutritional profile varied across the seasons with high levels of carbohydrates (27.8%) observed in the summer, which coincided with low levels of proteins (11.4%). Antioxidant content was higher in the summer months compared to the autumn/winter. All pigments, but especially the phycobiliproteins, decreased in the summer samples. The levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead were low and do not represent a concern for the consumption of this species. Bivariate correlations showed links between the production of carbohydrates and antioxidant compounds and environmental factors such as maximum radiation/hours of light. Using principal component analysis (PCA) clearly discriminated between samples taken in the summer and winter months with the separation being substantiated by the carbohydrate and antioxidant levels in summer and pigments in winter. The results obtained are fundamental for predicting and planning biomass harvest and commercial management of this species, providing information on the variation in the biochemical and qualitative profile of the species.
... It is, however, slightly lower compared to the red algae G. vermiculophylla (% ≈22), Osmundea pinnatifida (% ≈20), Porphyra sp. (% ≈25), and Pterocladiella capillacea (% ≈20), which are traditionally used in the food industry [69,85,89,90]. These data corroborate that those seaweeds are an interesting source of protein. ...
Gelidium corneum is a well-known agarophyte, harvested worldwide for its high agar quality. However, the species also exhibits an interesting nutritional profile, but with seasonal variations. Therefore, to evaluate the nutritional value of G. corneum, ash, crude protein, total lipids, and carbohydrates were analyzed at different times of the year. The heavy metals mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and tin, as well as iodine were also measured. Finally, the seasonal antioxidant capacity of G. corneum extracts was evaluated. Our results indicate that the biomass is rich in protein (up to 16.25 ± 0.33%) and carbohydrates (up to 39.5 ± 3.29%), and low in lipids (up to 2.75 ± 0.28%), and especially in the summer, the AI, TI indexes, n-6/n-3 and h/H ratios (0.93, 0.6, 0.88 and 1.08, respectively) are very interesting. None of the contaminants exceeded the legally established limits, and the iodine values were adequate for a healthy diet. Finally, the antioxidant capacity is fair, with the DPPH ≤ 10.89 ± 1.46%, and ABTS ≤ 13.90 ± 1.54% inhibition, FRAP ≤ 0.91 ± 0.22 AAE.g −1 , and TPC ≤ 6.82 ± 0.26 GAE.g −1. The results show that G. corneum is an attractive resource, with potential use as food or as a food supplement.
