Nutritional properties of dishes prepared with sub-Antarctic macroalgae—an opportunity for healthy eating

In order to promote the use of sub-Antarctic macroalgae as food, three species of seaweeds, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pyropia columbina, and Durvillaea antarctica, were used as ingredients in a variety of dishes such as cochayuyo bread, cochayuyo hamburgers, cochayuyo fettuccine, huiro fritters, huiro breadsticks, and luche-parsley pesto. Subsequently, the nutritional value of each of the dishes was analyzed. The chemical composition, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, sodium, and the fatty acid (FA) content, was examined. In general, the prepared food varieties demonstrated low lipid contents (4.1 to 8.5% dry weight, dw), moderate concentrations of protein (6.9 to 12.7% dw), and highly variable contents of total dietary fiber (1.3 to 18.9% dw). The fatty acid patterns were different for all prepared dishes, and the FA profile exhibited a beneficial contribution of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), with a preponderance of linoleic acid and α-linolenic. The chemical composition of the dishes was compared to that of similar and commonly consumed food like white bread, hamburgers, fettuccine made of dough enriched with eggs, fritters, breadsticks, and green pesto. The results suggest that macroalgae can be used as an ingredient in prepared food where they may contribute successfully to a more balanced diet and to maintain the organoleptic characteristics in commercially attractive prepared food like cochayuyo bread, cochayuyo hamburger, cochayuyo fettuccine, huiro breadsticks, and luche-parsley pesto.