Chemical Characteristics of Cultivated Green Seaweed Caulerpa racemosa from Sinjai, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
A Daud (a,b), Metusalach (c), Kasmiati (c*), and Nursinah Amir (c)

a) Graduate School of Fishery Science, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
b) Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Fishery Product Processing Technology, The Pangkep State Agricultural Polytechnic, Pangkajene Kepulauan, South Sulawesi Indonesia
c) Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
*Corresponding author: kasmiati[at]unhas.ac.id

Abstract

Several studies have described the nutraceutical properties of Caulerpa racemosa. However, the study related to the primary metabolite content of cultivated C. racemosa in Indonesia is scanty. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the proximate compositions of the C. racemosa in two different forms - fresh and dried forms obtained from Sinjai, South Sulawesi. Results showed that fresh C. racemosa contained 89.58% moisture, 1.23% ash, 2.75% protein, 0.67% lipid, and 5.58% carbohydrate, while dried C. racemosa contained 11.38% moisture, 21.59% ash, 6.75% protein, 1.49% lipid, and 58.57% carbohydrate. This study suggests that postharvest handling of C. racemosa is vital to determine its quality as a nutritious and functional food source, as well as for value-added product development.

Keywords: Caulerpa racemosa, proximate analysis, seaweed, sea grapes

Topic: Marine and Fisheries Biotechnology