Mineral composition of edible seaweed Porphyra vietnamensis

Edible seaweed Porphyra vietnamensis growing along seven different localities of the Central West Coast of India was analyzed for mineral composition (Na, K, Ca, Mg, B, Pb, Cr, Co, Fe, Zn, Mn, Hg, Cu, As, Ni, Cd and Mo) by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The concentration ranges found for each sample, were as follows: Na, 24.5-65.6; K, 1.76-3.19, Ca, 1.40-6.12; Mg, 4.0-5.90 (mg/g d wt); Pb, 0.01-0.15; Cr, 0.13-0.22; Co, 0.06-0.20; Fe, 33.0-298; Zn, 0.93-3.27; Mn, 4.22-10.00; Hg, 0.01-0.04; Cu, 0.54-1.05; As, 1.24-1.83; Ni, 0.02-0.25; Cd, 0.14-0.55; Mo, 0.02-0.03 and B, 0.02-0.07 expressed in mg/100 g dry weight. Mineral composition of P. vietnamensis was found relatively higher as compared to the land vegetables as well as to other edible seaweeds, and it is in concurrence with the recent macrobiotic recommendation for western countries. It could therefore be used as food supplement as a spice to improve the nutritive value in the omnivorous diet. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.