!

I
ELSEVIER Aquatic Botany 65 (1999) 321-325
Aguatlc
lJotany
www.elsevier.coml1ocale/aquabot
Proximate analysis of the flour and starch from Enhalus
acoroides (L.f.) Royle seeds
M. Nemesio E. Montano *, Ronald S. Bonifacio, Rowena Grace O. Rumbaoa
Marine Science Institute, College ofScience PO. Box I, University ofthe Philippines, 1101 DiUrnan,
Quezon City, Philippines
Abstract
The seeds ofthe tropical seagrass Enhalus acoroides were analyzed for their nutritive components
to assess their dietary value for hwnans. Proximate analysis of flour prepared by grinding the dried
seeds gave the following results: 9.8% moisture; 8.8% protein; 0.2% fat; 72.4% carbohydrates;
2.4% crude fiber; 6.4% ash; 933 mg/kg calcium; 2392 mg/kg phosphorous; and 2813 mg/kg iron.
Correspondingly, proximate analysis ofthe starch prepared from the flour with a 50% yield, resulted
in the following: 11 % moisture; 0.8% protein; 0.1 % fat; 87.6% carbohydrates; 0.4% crude fiber;
0.5% ash; 320 mg/kg calcium; 210 mglkg phosphorous and; 220 mg/kg iron. Comparison of the
proximate analysis results and the calculated caloric values of the seagrass seed flour and starch
showed similarity with those of terrestrial origin. 1999 Elsevier Science B. V, All rights reserved.
Keywords: Enhalus acoroides; Seagrass seed; Proximate analysis; Flour and Starch; Caloric value
1. Introduction
Seagrasses can surpass the productivity of wheat, com, rice hay and sugar beets (Rollon
and Fortes, 1990). This high productivity suggests that seagrasses may be further explored
to benefit humans directly as a source of food. For example, the seeds of Zostera marina
were discovered to be an important traditional food source of the Sen Indians (Felger
and Moser, 1973). They made :flour from the seeds and sometimes enriched its flavor by
mixing it with the ground seeds ofthe columnar cactus Pachysereus pringlei (Valencia et aI.,
1985). Thus, seeds of the seagrass, Enhalus acoroides, which is abundant in the Philippines,
might have the same potential as that of Z. marina. Further, the seeds of this seagrass are
considered edible in most parts of the Philippine areas where beds are found. The pods of
Corresponding author.
03043770/991$ - see front matter 1999 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.
PIl: S0304-3770(99)00049-2
322 M.N.E. Montano el al.lAquatic Botany 65 (1999) 321-325
this marine angiosperm are collected and the raw seeds consumed or, alternatively boiled
before consumption. In some localities, the seed pods are sold in the market. This paper
documents the results of proximate analyses of seed flour and starch obtained from the
tropical seagrass E. acoroides (L.f.) Royle.
2. Materials and methods
The pods ofE. acoroides were collected during its fruiting season (August-Dctober) from
Silaki Island (1626.68'N I 1955.33'E) in Bolinao, Pangasinan located at the northwestern
portion of the Philippines. The pods contained 9 to 12 light green seeds, 12 to IS mm in
height and 11 to 15 mm in diameter.
Crude flour was prepared by drying the seeds in the oven at 60C and grinding to a fine
powder. The starch, as confirmed by iodine test, was extracted from the flour according to
Vail et a1. (1978). Both the flour and starch were subjected to proximate analyses. Moisture,
ash and crude fiber were determined by gravimetric method; fat by soxWet extraction and
gravimetry; protein by Kjeldahl determination; and carbohydrates by difference. Phospho-
rus and iron were determined by ashing-acid digestion and spectrophotometry. The samples
were further determined for their calcium content by ashing-acid digestion and atomic ab-
sorption spectrophotometry or titrimetry. The analyses followed the methods described
in the Official Methods of Analysis by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists
(Helrich, 1990). All analyses were done in triplicate. Energy values were calculated from
the caloric equivalent of the carbohydrate, protein and fat content of the samples (Steven-
son and Miller, 1960). The values were compared with those of common flour and starches
listed in the Food Composition Table of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the
Philippine Department of Science and Technology (portugal et aI., 1990).
3. Results
Results of the proximate analysis showed the removal of protein and other components
by the extraction process. Protein content decreased significantly from 8.8% in the flour to
0.8% in the starch. Likewise, ash content was reduced from 6.4 to 0.4% (Table 1). Similarly,
fat and fiber contents were lowered during the extraction process. Only the carbohydrate
content increased indicating that the extraction retained most of the starch. The proximate
composition ofthe E. acoroides seed flour was comparable to those obtained from terrestrial
plants, except for its mineral (ash) content (Table I). Its mineral components (including Ca, P,
and Fe) were significantly higher than common flours such as wheat flour, cassava flour and
rice flour. On the other hand, the proximate composition of the starch from the E. acoroides
seed did not vary significantly from reported values ofcommon starch (Table 1). The protein,
fat, fiber and ash content of E. acoroides seeds' flour were slightly less than the reported
composition of another seagrass seed (z. marina) while moisture and carbohydrates were
slightly higher. Meanwhile, the calcium and iron contents of E. acoroides flour exhibited
significantly higher values than that of Z. marina (Table I).
M.N.E. Montano e/ al./Aqua/ie Bo/any 65 (1999) 32/-325 323
Table 1
Comparalive proximate analysis values of different flour and starches
Sample E. acoroides Wheat Cassava Rice E. acoroides Arrow root East Indian Z marina
seeds' flour" floui' o u ~ o u ~ seeds' starch
b
arrow root (raw)C
starch' starch
b
Moisture (%) 9.8 12.3 9.5 10.2 II 12.6 13.5 7.4
Protein (%) 8.8 12.6 1.1 7.6 0.8 0.1 0.1 11.3
Fat(%) 0.2 0.8 0.7 0.3 0.1 0.5 0.5 1.4
Carbohydrates 72.4 73.7 87.8 81.3 87.6 86.4 85.8 65.3
(%)
Fiber ('Yo) 2.4 3.3 1.9 2.1 0.4 0.2 0.3 7.4
Ash ('Yo) 6.4 0.6 0.9 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.1 7.1
Calcium 933 820 840 150 320 330 560 7.1
(mglkg)
Phosphorous 2392 1050 370 240 210 240 80 nd
(mglkg)
Iron (mglkg) 2813 44 10 0 220 72 15 1.0
Energy 327 352 362 358 355 351 348 nd
(calories/I 00 g)
, This study.
b Portugal et aI., 1990.
C Valencia el aI., 1985.
4. Discussion
The seeds of the tropical seagrass E. acoroides have been traditionally eaten in the Philip-
pines. The rawseeds are described as crunchy and sweet, while boiled seeds are more starchy
and taste like cooked sweet potato. In addition to being edible, the seeds are thought to have
aphrodisiac and contraceptive properties (Alino et aI., 1990).
The proximate composition of the flour and starch derived from E. acoroides seeds was
comparable to flour and starch from terrestrial plants. Consequently, the energy values were
also similar to land plant flour and starches (Table I). It would be interesting to investigate
on whether the seeds contain other nutrients such as vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids
and antioxidants. The slight differences in the proximate composition of E. acoroides and
Z. marina suggest that the composition of grains from seagrass may vary with species and
geographical location. This study suggests that seagrass seeds could be a staple food along
coastal areas. If nutritional and toxicity studies confirm seagrass seeds as a food source,
carbohydrate requirements for human survival in small islands might be possible. With
the objective of food production, mariculture of the seagrass E. acoroides would be the
next logical step. The high flowering frequency of E. acoroides (as compared with that of
Cymodecea rotundata and Thalassia hemprichii) with an average of 2.8 flowers per shoot
per year (Duarte et aI., 1997), seems to support the feasibility of its culture but its low
vegetative growth rate (Duarte, 1991) suggests otherwise.
The bulk of the Filipino diet consists of cereal and cereal products (mainly rice and
corn) with a mean one-day per capita consumption of 340 g/day or 124 kg/year equivalent
to 42.3% of total food intake (FNRJ, 1995). From our study, each seagrass fruit produces
324 M.N.E. Montano et al./Aquatic Botany 65 (1999) 321-325
about 6.4 g of seeds per fruit. Thus, a hundred percent substitution of the cereal diet with
E. acoroides seeds would require an equivalent of 53 fruits per day.
The study of E. acoroides by Rollon (1998) in the same area yielded the following data:
(l) E. acoroides density is ca. 10 shoots per quadrat (l quadrat = 0.25 m
2
); (2) an average
shoot flowers 1.054 per year; (3) the fruiting female flower ratio is ca. 1.88 out of 4.79
females; and the average fruit contains ca. 9 seeds. Using these data, the number of fruits
produced per square meter per year may be computed as follows:
10 shoots
0.25 m2 X
1.054 flowers 1.88 fruits
x-----
year shoot 4.79 flowers
16.5 fruits
m
2
year
Combining these data with the number of fruits required to meet the one-day per capita
food consumption of an average Filipino, the total land area required for production may
be estimated according to the equation:
53 fruits/day 2
O04 fru
/ 2 d = 1178.78 m
. 5 Its m ay
The large area needed to sustain the production of seagrass fruits per day per capita food
production makes mariculture ofthe seagrass, E. acoroides, not feasible. This additional data
support the earlier conclusion. Biotechnological innovations might change the picture but
a thorough ecological and environmental assessment are still needed before the application
ofa new technology.
Acknowledgements
This research was partially supported by the ASEAN--eanada Cooperative Programme
on Marine Science - Phase II (CPMS-II) with supplementary funds from the Philippine
Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development of the Department of Science
and Technology (DOST-PCAMRD). Appreciation is given to the staff of the U.P. MSI
Seaweed Building. This paper is U.P. Marine Science Institute Contribution No. 299.
References
Aliiio, P.M., Cajipe, G.J.B., Ganzon-Fortes, E., Licuanan, W.R.Y., Montano, N.E., Tupas, L.M., 1990. The use of
marine organisms in folk medicine and horticulture: a preliminary study. SICEN Leaflet I, 1-8.
Duarte, CM., 1991. Allometric scaling of seagrass form and productivity. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 77, 289--300.
Duarte, C.M., Uri, J.S., Agawin, N.S.R., Fortes, MD., Vennaat, J.E., Marba, N., 1997. Flowering frequency of
Philippine seagrasses. Bot. Mar. 40, 497-500.
Felger,R.S., Moser, M.B., 1973. Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in the GulfofCali fomi a: discovery of its nutritional
value by the Seri Indians. Science 181, 355-356.
Food and Nutrition Research Institute, 1995. Fourth National Nutrition Survey Philippines, Report No.1.
Helrich, K. (Ed.), 1990. Official Methods of Arullysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, vols. I
& 2., 15th ed. Association of Official AnaJytical Chemists, Inc., Arlington, VA, USA, 1298 pp.
Portugal, T.R., Apilado, R.J., Ardena, J.G., Avena, E.M., Matibag, P.M., Reyes, G.D., Castillo, E.M., Aguinaldo,
A.R., Abdon, A.C., Lontoc, A.V. (Eds.), 1990. The Philippine Food Composition Tables, 1997. Food Nutrition
Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, Philippines, pp. 24-52.
M.N.E. Montano et al. / Aquatic Botany 65 (1999) 321-325 325
Rollon, R.N., 1998. Spatial Variation and Seasonality in Growth and Reproduction of Enhalus acoroides (L.f.)
Royle Populations in the Coastal Waters off Cape Bolinao, NW Philippines. Dissertation. Wageningeo
Agricultural University and International Institute for IntTastructural, Hydraulic and Environmental
Engineering, pp. 6(}-90.
Rollon, R.N., Fortes, M.D., 1990. Growth rates and primary production of Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle from
Lag-it North Bais Bay, the Philippines. In: Alcala, A.C., Mcmanus, L.T. (Eds.), Proceedings oflhe First National
Symposium in Marine Science, 16-18 May 1990, at the Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines,
80linao, Pangasinan, Philippines, pp. 17-25.
Stevenson, G.T., Miller, c., 1960. Introduction to Foods and Nutrition. Wiley, London, p. 457.
Vail, G.E., P1JjJJips, J.A., Rust, L.O., Griswold, R.M., Justin., M.M., 1978. Foods. Houghton Mifflin Company,
pp.91-92.
Valencia, M.E., Antondo, J.L., Hernandez, G., 1985. Nutritive value of Zostera marina and cardon (Pachycereus
pringlei) as consumed by the Sen Indians in Sonoma. Mexico. Ecol. Food Nutr. 17, 165-174.