The influence of environmental factors on the protein Ccntent of Undaria pinnatifida

Abstract

Industrial meat production is causing a variety of environmental damage resulting in it not being sustainable. As to alternatives, the most consumed meat-protein substitute products in Europe are soybean-based aliments imported from third countries, making them less sustainable than they appear. The European Union spurred the membership countries on to develop their “National Protein Transition Strategy” to tackle environmental damages and improve and implement vegetable protein production., The Netherlands is working on the “Dutch Protein Strategy”, involving different associations, universities, and companies. The research team Marine Biobased Specialties of HZ University of Applied Sciences is taking part in the Food Delta Zeeland cluster, working on the implementation of a circular economy system built around the usage of seaweeds, for food and feed purposes, among others.

Besides other projects carried on by the research group Marine Biobased Chemistry, in 2021 they started to work on an experiment in which Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) samples were grown in a laboratory environment to investigate the effect on nutritional value and protein content by incrementing the water temperature gradually. In this paper the aim is to present the data analysis made on the data set gained through measurements and laboratory tests of diverse parameters and factors with the goal to identify any direct correlation and effect of temperature changes on protein content in wakame. The data analysis was carried out using Excel software. In order to achieve correlation graphs that set protein content against temperature as well as photosynthetic parameters against temperature, the raw data were initially normalized. The statistical analysis applied was following the Pearson correlation which measures the strength of the linear relationship between the two factors used.

The results showed a negative correlation between temperature increment and protein content. Increments in temperature vary the efficiency and values of other environmental factors and parameters that affect the protein content, such as photosynthetic activity. For further studies, it is suggested to implement the study with changes in temperature through changes in irradiance and light intensity, instead of external coolers in the experimental growing tanks, as well as investigating deeper the photosynthetic activity of this kelp and the changes in the behavior of enzymes related to changes in temperature.