Assessment of nutrient composition and antioxidant potential of Caulerpaceae seaweeds

The proximate nutrient composition, mineral contents, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant potential of three Caulerpa species were investigated. All three species were high in ash (24.20–33.70%) and carbohydrate content (37.23–48.95%) on dry weight basis (DW). The lipid content ranged between 2.64 and 3.06% DW. The mineral contents varied marginally among the species but were in the order of Na > K > Ca > Mg. The Na/K ratio among the species varied from 1.80 to 2.55 and was lowest in C. scalpelliformis. A 10 g DW of Caulerpa powder contains 11–21% Fe, 52–60% Ca and 35–43% Mg, which is higher than the recommended daily allowance (RDA), compared with non-seafood. The percentage sum of PUFAs (C18:2, C18:3, C20:4 and C20:5) in total fatty acids was highest in both C. scalpelliformis (39.25%) and C. veravelensis (36.73%) while it was the lowest in C. racemosa (24.50%). The n−6/n−3 ratio among the species varied from 1.44 to 7.72 and remained within the prescribed WHO standards (<10). Further, the higher enzymatic dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) and non-enzymatic antioxidant potential of Caulerpa species found in the present study confirm their usefulness in terms of nutrients and antioxidants.