Formulation and Evaluation of Nutritional and Bioactive Compounds in a Probiotic Beverage Containing Ulva Lactuca

Edible seaweeds are marine algae and are an active part of various cuisines all over the world. These under-exploited food sources are known as a reserve of micronutrients and bioactive compounds of biological importance. Regarding food production, there is an increasing interest in developing novel functional foods which cater to multi-faceted health benefits and are easily accessible to people. The aim of this study was to formulate and standardise the probiotic beverages with Ulva lactuca and assess the nutritional and bioactive compounds present in the probiotic beverage containing seaweed Ulva lactuca. Whey extracted from cow’s milk was the natural source of lactic acid bacteria. Nutritional composition, mineral content, total phenolics, flavonoids and DPPH inhibition activity were estimated, along with sensory evaluation using 9-point hedonic scale rating. The novel probiotic beverage exhibited significant iron content (12.8±0.07 mg/100 ml), which is approximately one-third of RDA suggested by ICMR (2020). Hence, it is considered as a potential supplement for mild to moderate Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) for women of reproductive age (18-27 years). Substantial amount of phytocehmicals like phenols, flavonoids and antioxidants were reported per 10 ml of beverage, affirming it to be a good source of nutritional components.