Nutritional profile and antioxidant activity of Enhalus acoroides seeds from the coastal waters of Bolok in Kupang Bay, Indonesia: Potential as a marine functional food

Abstract

The seeds of Enhalus acoroides have traditionally been consumed by coastal communities in several tropical regions; however, information regarding their nutritional composition and functional properties remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition, amino acid profile, vitamin content, fatty acid profile, and antioxidant activity of E. acoroides seeds collected from the coastal waters of Bolok in Kupang Bay, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The seeds were characterized by high moisture (78.06%) and carbohydrate (17.99%) contents, moderate dietary fiber (3.65%), and low protein content (2.31%). Fat content was below the analytical reporting limit (<0.02%), resulting in a low caloric value of 81.18 kcal/100 g. Consistently, no fatty acids were detected by GC-FID analysis. Vitamin C was not detected, whereas vitamin E was present at a low concentration (0.17 mg/100 g). Despite the low levels of antioxidant vitamins, the seeds exhibited substantial antioxidant activity (166.94 mg AAE/100 g). Amino acid analysis revealed the presence of both essential and non-essential amino acids, with lysine being the predominant essential amino acid and proline the most abundant amino acid overall. The results demonstrate that E. acoroides seeds possess a distinctive nutritional profile compared with conventional edible nuts and oilseeds, being characterized as a carbohydrate-dominant, low-fat, and low-energy marine food resource with notable antioxidant activity. The observed antioxidant capacity is likely associated with non-vitamin phytochemicals and warrants further phytochemical investigation. This study provides preliminary scientific evidence supporting the potential utilization of E. acoroides seeds as an underutilized marine-derived functional food ingredient.