Bioaccessibility of target essential elements and contaminants from Fucus spiralis

Bioaccessibility of toxic heavy metals/metalloids in edible seaweeds: Exposure and health risk assessment

This study assesses the health risk due to heavy metals/metalloids (HMs/Ms) in edible seaweeds (Caulerpa racemosa, Kappaphycus alvarezii, and Ulva lactuca) through an in vitro bioaccessibility study. The percentage of bioabsorbed HMs/Ms in unprocessed and processed C. racemosa, U. lactuca, and K. alvarezii ranged from 3 % to 46 %, 3 % to 42 %, and 3 % to 40 %, respectively. The levels of HMs/Ms in seawater, sediment, and seaweeds were below the levels recommended by the European Commission (EC) and World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO). The maximum accumulation of HMs/Ms was found during monsoons and post-monsoon seasons, and Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, As, and Pb were predominant in all the samples. Tukey's post hoc test and t-test confirmed that thermal processing significantly reduced HMs/Ms in seaweeds. On the basis of the bioabsorption of HMs/Ms, the TTHQ values were found to be < 1, and the LCR values were within the acceptable limit (10-06 to 10-04), indicating no carcinogenic risks through seaweeds.

Bioaccessibility data of potentially toxic elements in complementary foods for infants: A review

The introduction of complementary foods (CFs) is a critical step in an infant's transition to solid foods, providing essential nutrients beyond breast milk. However, CFs may contain potentially toxic elements (PTEs), such as arsenic and cadmium that pose health risks to infants. In this context, understanding the bioaccessibility of PTEs is vital as it determines the fraction of a contaminant released from the food matrix and available for absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Efforts have been made to standardize the assessment methodology for bioaccessibility, ensuring consistent and reliable data. Moreover, regulatory agencies have established guidelines for PTEs levels in food. However, important gaps still exist, which motivates many research opportunities on this topic.

Seaweeds and Corals from the Brazilian Coast: Review on Biotechnological Potential and Environmental Aspects

Brazil has a megadiversity that includes marine species that are distributed along 800 km of shoreline. This biodiversity status holds promising biotechnological potential. Marine organisms are important sources of novel chemical species, with applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, and nutraceutical fields. However, ecological pressures derived from anthropogenic actions, including the bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements and microplastics, impact promising species. This review describes the current status of the biotechnological and environmental aspects of seaweeds and corals from the Brazilian coast, including publications from the last 5 years (from January 2018 to December 2022). The search was conducted in the main public databases (PubChem, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) and in the Espacenet database (European Patent Office-EPO) and the Brazilian National Property Institute (INPI). Bioprospecting studies were reported for seventy-one seaweed species and fifteen corals, but few targeted the isolation of compounds. The antioxidant potential was the most investigated biological activity. Despite being potential sources of macro- and microelements, there is a literature gap regarding the presence of potentially toxic elements and other emergent contaminants, such as microplastics, in seaweeds and corals from the Brazilian coast.

New Analytical Strategy for Bioaccessibility Evaluation of Bromine and Iodine from Edible Seaweeds

A strategy for determining the bioaccessibility of bromine and iodine from edible seaweeds was proposed for the first time using microwave-induced combustion (MIC) and ion chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (IC-MS) after in vitro digestion. The concentrations of bromine and iodine in edible seaweeds using the proposed methods (MIC and IC-MS) were not statistically different from those using MIC and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (p > 0.05). Trueness was assessed by recovery experiments (101-110%, relative standard deviation <10%). Following an in vitro digestion protocol, MIC was proposed as sample preparation for bioaccessible and residual fractions. Using this strategy, the mass balance totaled from 97 to 111%. No statistical difference (p > 0.05) was observed between the total concentration of bromine or iodine and their concentration in bioaccessible and residual fractions for three edible seaweed species, indicating full analyte quantification in the fractions.

Heavy metals in daily meals and food ingredients in the Yangtze River Delta and their probabilistic health risk assessment

Heavy metal exposure via food consumption is inadequately investigated and deserves considerable attention. We collected hundreds of food ingredients and daily meals and assessed their probabilistic health risk using a Monte Carlo simulation based on an ingestion rate investigation. The detected concentrations of four heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, and Hg) in all daily meal samples were within the limits stipulated in the National Food Safety Standard (GB 2762-2017), while that for As level was excessive in 0.3 % of daily meal samples. The same results were also observed in most food ingredient samples, and a standard-exceeding ratio of 23 % of As was observed in aquatic food or products, especially seafood, which was with the highest concentration reaching 1.24 mg/kg. Combining the detected heavy metal amounts with the ingestion rate investigation, the hazard quotients (HQs) of As, Cr, Cd, Pb, and Hg in daily meals and food ingredients were all calculated as lower than 1 (no obvious harm), while the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of As and Cr (>1 × 10-4), indicating that the residual As posed potential health effects to human health. It was noteworthy that the proportion of aquatic foods only accounted for 6.3 % of daily meals, but they occupied 41.1 % of the heavy metal exposure, which could be attributed to the high amounts of heavy metals in aquatic foods. This study not only provided basic data of heavy metal exposure and potential health risks through daily oral dietary intake, but also illuminated the contribution of different kinds of food ingredients. Specifically, the study highlighted the contamination of aquatic foods with As, especially seafood such as shellfish and bivalves.

Iodine from brown algae in human nutrition, with an emphasis on bioaccessibility, bioavailability, chemistry, and effects of processing: A systematic review

Brown algae are becoming increasingly popular as a food source and dietary supplement in Europe and other Western countries. As they are highly rich in iodine, they represent a potential new dietary iodine source. Iodine deficiency has been re-emerging in Europe, and it is important to ensure adequate intake through one's diet. However, macroalgae, and especially brown algae, may contain very high amounts of iodine, and both iodine deficiency and excessive iodine may increase the risk of negative health effects. The iodine content of algae or foods containing algae is currently not regulated in the European Union. The aim of this paper is to review the literature to determine the chemical species of iodine in brown algae, the loss of iodine during processing, and the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of iodine. A systematic search of the literature was performed in April 2021, via the databases Web of Science and PubMed. The review includes studies of iodine in brown macroalgae in relation to bioavailability, bioaccessibility, processing and speciation. A meta-analysis was conducted in relation to the following topics: (i) the correlation between total iodine and iodide (I- ) content in brown algae; (ii) the correlation between the loss of iodine during processing and the I- content; and (iii) the correlation between bioavailability and the I- content. The bioavailability of iodine from brown algae was generally high, with in vivo bioavailability ranging from 31% to 90%. The in vitro bioavailability of iodine (2%-28%) was systematically lower than in vivo bioavailability (31%-90%), indicating an inadequate in vitro methodology. Processing may reduce the iodine content of brown algae, and a higher I- content was positively correlated with increased iodine loss during processing. Although processing strategies may reduce the iodine content of brown algae significantly, the iodine content may still be high after processing. These findings may be used in food safety evaluations of brown algae as well as in the development of macroalgae-containing foods with iodine contents suitable for human consumption. Further research on processing techniques to reduce the iodine content in brown macroalgae are warranted.

Seaweeds as a “Palatable” Challenge between Innovation and Sustainability: A Systematic Review of Food Safety

Moderate or severe food insecurity affect 2 billion people worldwide. The four pillars of food security (availability, access, use and stability) are in danger due to the impact of climatic and anthropogenic factors which impact on the food system. Novel foods, like seaweeds, have the potential to increase food yields so that to contribute in preventing or avoiding future global food shortages. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess microbiological, chemical, physical, and allergenic risks associated with seaweed consumption. Four research strings have been used to search for these risks. Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were applied. Finally, 39 articles met the selected criteria. No significant hazards for microbiological, allergenic, and physical risks were detected. Regarding chemical risk, algae can accumulate various heavy metals, especially when harvested in polluted sites. Cultivating seaweeds in a controlled environment allows to avoid this risk. Periodic checks will be necessary on the finished products to monitor heavy metals levels. Since the consumption of algae seems to be on the rise everywhere, it seems to be urgent that food control authorities establish the safety levels to which eating algae does not represent any risk for human health.

Bioaccessibility of Antioxidants and Fatty Acids from Fucus Spiralis

Fucus spiralis is an edible brown seaweed (SW) found in the Portuguese Coast. It has been reported to have high antioxidant activity, which may elicit a potential use for the food industry. However, little information is available on how the SW behaves during the digestive process and how the freeze-drying process might affect the bioaccessibility of the different compounds. Therefore, antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, lipid, and fatty acid contents were measured before and after in vitro simulation of the human digestive process, both in fresh and freeze-dry SW. F. spiralis had a lipid content of 3.49 ± 0.3% of dry weight (DW), which is a usual amount described for this SW genus. The total lipid bioaccessibility was 12.1 ± 0.1%. The major omega-3 fatty acid detected was eicosapentaenoic acid, 7.5 ± 0.1%, with a bioaccessibility percentage of 13.0 ± 1.0%. Four different methods—total phenolic content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH)—were used to assess the antioxidant activity of F. spiralis. The bioaccessibility of the antioxidants studied, ranged between 42.7% and 59.5%, except the bioaccessibility of polyphenols in freeze-dried SW (23.0% ± 1.0%), suggesting that the freeze-drying process reduces the bioaccessibility of these compounds.