ORCID
- Patricia Casas-Agustench: 0000-0003-4424-1087
- Lauren V. Hallewell: 0009-0004-6039-1274
- Nathaniel J. Clark: 0000-0002-0968-503X
- Raul Bescos: 0000-0002-3939-4743
Abstract
Edible algae are a natural source of nutrients, including iodine, and can also contain nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO3−) and nitrite (NO2−) as they can fix nitrogen from seawater. This study aimed to analyse the NO3−, NO2−, and iodine concentrations in eighteen macroalgae and five microalgae species commercially available in the United Kingdom. NO3− and NO2− concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and iodine was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). NO3− and iodine concentrations in macroalgae (NO3−: 4050.13 ± 1925.01 mg/kg; iodine: 1925.01 ± 1455.80 mg/kg) were significantly higher than in microalgae species (NO3−: 55.73 ± 93.69 mg/kg; iodine: 17.61 ± 34.87 mg/kg; p < 0.001 for both). In the macroalgae group, nori had the highest NO3− (17,191.33 ± 980.89 mg/kg) and NO2− (3.64 ± 2.38 mg/kg) content, as well as the highest iodine content. Among microalgae, Dunaliella salina had the highest concentration of NO3− (223.00 ± 21.93 mg/kg) and iodine (79.97 ± 0.76 mg/kg), while Spirulina had the highest concentration of NO2− (7.02 ± 0.13 mg/kg). These results indicate that commercially available edible algae, particularly macroalgae species, could be a relevant dietary source of NO3− and iodine.
DOI
10.3390/foods13162615
Publication Date
2024-08-21
Publication Title
Foods
Volume
13
Issue
16
Keywords
edible algae, iodine, nitrate, nitrite
Recommended Citation
Casas-Agustench, P., Hayter, J., Ng, O., Hallewell, L., Clark, N., & Bescos, R. (2024) 'Nitrate, Nitrite, and Iodine Concentrations in Commercial Edible Algae: An Observational Study', Foods, 13(16). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13162615
