Quality evaluation of the edible blue-green alga Nostoc flagelliforme using a chlorophyll fluorescence parameter and several biochemical markers.
Nostoc flagelliforme is an edible blue-green alga with herbal and dietary values. Due to the diminishing supply of natural N. flagelliforme and the large investment on the development of its cultivation technology, it is anticipated that artificially cultured N. flagelliforme will soon sustain the market supply. Once this change occurs, the storage-associated quality problem will become the focus of attention for future trade. In this paper, we used a chlorophyll fluorescence parameter, maximum quantum efficiency of Photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and several biomarkers to evaluate the quality of several N. flagelliforme samples. It was found that longer storage times resulted in darker coloured solutions (released pigments) and decreased amounts of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and water-soluble sugars (WSS). Additionally, a higher Fv/Fm value suggests better physiological recovery and quality. In actual application, determination of Fv/Fm would be the first step for evaluating the quality of N. flagelliforme, and the biochemical indexes would serve as good secondary markers.
Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China.
Xiang
X
Gao
Yiwen
Y
Yang
Yufeng
Y
Ai
Hongyi
H
Luo
Baosheng
B
Qiu
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000737:chemistry*; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D005453:Fluorescence; D061353:Food Storage; D046937:Nostoc / Q000737:chemistry*; D011786:Quality Control
D015415:Biomarkers; D002734:Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll a; Chlorophyll fluorescence; Fv/Fm; Nostoc flagelliforme; Quality evaluation; Water-soluble sugars