Comparative Analysis of Nutrient Composition of Caulerpa lentillifera from Different Regions

This study investigated the difference of nutrient composition in Caulerpa lentillifera collected from different regions. The nutrient compositions of C. lentillifera from China’s Hainan and Shandong provinces were determined and compared with those from Semporna (Malaysia), Sabah (Malaysia), Petchburi (Thailand), and two other species of seaweeds (Malaysia). The results showed that the polysaccharide and protein contents of C. lentillifera from Hainan (44.82%±0.98% and 12.5% ±0.70%), Shandong (43.22% ±1.42% and 14.7% ±0.72%), Petchburi (59.27%±2.31% and 12.49%±0.30%), and Sabah (44.02%±2.01% and 19.38%± 1.48%) were higher than those of Eucheuma cottonii (26.49%±3.01% and 9.76%±1.33%) and Sargassum polycystum (33.49%± 1.70% and 5.40% ± 0.07%), respectively. The polyunsaturated fatty acid contents in C. lentillifera from Hainan (29.98%) and Shandong (22.11%) were higher than that in Semporna (16.76% ± 0.27%), Sabah (9.49%), and S. polycystum (20.34% ±0.43%), but lower than that in E. cottonii (51.55% ± 0.57%). In Caulerpa lentillifera of Hainan and Shandong provinces, the essential amino acid (EAA)/total amino acid (TAA) ratios were 35.22% and 38.78%, respectively; and the EAA/ETAA ratios were 54.36% and 63.35%, respectively. The EAA composition of C. lentillifera was close to the ideal model of Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. C. lentillifera was rich in mineral elements, including calcium ((3315.85 ±127.55) mg (100 g) −1 and (3728.35 ±92.38) mg (100 g) −1 ), magnesium ((6715.74 ± 82.58) mg (100 g) −1 and (8128.59 ± 242.72) mg (100 g) −1 ), and trace elements, including iron ((510.65 ±5.47) mg (100 g) −1 and (1972.97 ±183.35) mg (100 g) −1 ), selenium ((1.04 ±0.08) mg (100 g) −1 and (0.83 ±0.15) mg (100 g) −1 ), and zinc ((33.90 ±0.13) mg (100 g) −1 and (11.75 ±2.05) mg (100 g) −1 ). These results showed that C. lentillifera was more nutritious than S. polycystum or E. cottonii in terms of polysaccharide, protein, and fatty acid contents. Furthermore, both C. lentillifera species collected from Hainan and Shandong provinces show more basic nutrients. Therefore, C. lentillifera has important development and application prospects.