title: Stability of agar in the seaweed Gracilaria eucheumatoides (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) during postharvest storage.
abstract: The status of the cell-wall polysaccharide of the red seaweed, Gracilaria eucheumatoides upon postharvest storage was assessed in this study. The yield, chemical composition, physical and textural properties of alkali-treated agar extract was determined at different time intervals within 31 months of storage at dried state after harvest. Minimal fluctuation in agar yield was observed, ranging from 22.9% to 29.0%. The gel strength of agar extracts averaged 318gcm(-2) until the third month of storage but decreased considerably thereafter. The relative viscosity and molecular weight of the extracts varied inversely with storage time. Results indicated that both physical and textural parameters of agar generally decreased with storage time, likely due to depolymerization as indicated by decrease in molecular weight. Agar extracted from seaweeds up to 3 months of storage could be considered to exhibit gel quality suitable for food applications. Prolonged storage of the seaweed harvest is not recommended.
authors.affiliation: Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi, Sanga-Sanga, Bongao, 7500 Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. jbromero05@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jumelita B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Ronald D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.forename: Marco Nemesio E
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Montaño
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D005782:Gels; D044724:Gracilaria / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D044366:Transition Temperature; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D013431:Sulfates; C117625:3,6-anhydrogalactose; D000362:Agar; D005690:Galactose