Amino acid composition of algal products and its contribution to RDI

• Amino acid profiles of algal products from nine species of freshwater algae and seaweed were analysed.
• Contribution of algal EAAs to their RDI in dependence on daily algal products intake was established.
• Freshwater blue-green alga S. platensis and red seaweed P. palmata had the best amino acid profiles.
• Products from Spirulina genus showed the highest participation of all EAAs in RDI.
• Sulfur AAs were observed as the most abundant contributors to RDI in all algal samples.

In this paper, the amino acid profiles of algal products from diverse groups (Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta) were established. Contents of essential and non-essential amino acids varied in the range of 22.8–42.3 and 31.0–66.5 (g·16 g−1 N), respectively. In dependence on daily algal intakes, the highest participation in recommended daily intakes (RDI; related to adult, body weight of 70 kg) of all EAAs was observed in freshwater micro-algal products, especially from Spirulina genus where contribution ranged from 12.6% (Lys, SB) to 38.8% (Thr, S). Generally, Lys was the lowest contributor to RDIs in almost all algal samples except Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C) and Palmaria palmata (D), where Ile and Leu, respectively, were established. Interestingly, the contents of sulfur AAs of both products of the Spirulina genus covered 74.5% (S) and 73.8% (SB) of their RDI. Finally, products from brown seaweeds showed the lowest contributions to the RDIs of all EAAs.