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Evaluation of the protein quality of Porphyridium cruentum

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Abstract

The amino acid profile of the red microalga Porphyridium cruentum and its protein extract have been determined in order to assess the nutritional quality of this biomass for human consumption. Total protein determined by elemental analysis represented 56 % of its dry weight. Hydro-soluble proteins extracted at pH 12 and 40 °C were analysed by the Lowry method giving 47 %, which represented 84 % of total protein per dry weight. The amino acid sequence of the biomass and the protein extract was composed of a set of essential (39 % for the former and 37 % for the latter) and non-essential amino acids (61 % for the former and 63 % for the latter) that compares favourably with the standard protein/amino acid requirements proposed by Food and Agricultural Organisation and World Health Organisation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Alpha Biotech for providing the biomass. This work was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR) in the context of Algoraffinerie project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INP-ENSIACET, Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-industrielle (LCA), Université de Toulouse, 31030, Toulouse, France

    Carl Safi, Michaël Charton, Olivier Pignolet, Pierre-Yves Pontalier & Carlos Vaca-Garcia

  2. INRA, UMR 1010 CAI, 31030, Toulouse, France

    Carl Safi, Michaël Charton, Olivier Pignolet, Pierre-Yves Pontalier & Carlos Vaca-Garcia

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  1. Carl Safi
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  2. Michaël Charton
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  3. Olivier Pignolet
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  4. Pierre-Yves Pontalier
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  5. Carlos Vaca-Garcia
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Correspondence to Carl Safi.

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Safi, C., Charton, M., Pignolet, O. et al. Evaluation of the protein quality of Porphyridium cruentum . J Appl Phycol 25, 497–501 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9883-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-012-9883-4

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