Comparative Analysis of the Nutrient Composition of Caulerpa lentillifera from Various Cultivation Sites

The nutrient, amino acid, and fatty acid compositions of Caulerpa lentillifera from various aquaculture regions were assessed to analyze their nutritional characteristics and potential for aquaculture development. The nutrient composition of C. lentillifera was determined according to the standard national nutrient determination methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, and the following data were revealed. (1) The basic nutritional components of C. lentillifera were relatively more abundant in the three aquaculture areas in Guangdong Province. The crude protein content in C. lentillifera was measured at (8.70 ± 0.36)% and (18.57 ± 1.59)% for samples collected from the Dapeng and Daya areas, respectively. These values were significantly higher compared to those obtained from the Beihai, Dongshan, and Nha Trang regions (p < 0.05). Additionally, the crude lipid content of C. lentillifera from the Daya population was measured at (5.10 ± 1.59)%, which was significantly higher than that of samples from the Beihai, Dongshan, and Nha Trang areas (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the total sugar contents in C. lentillifera were quantified as (32.50 ± 4.22)% and (32.87 ± 2.59)% for samples from the Daya and Shanwei regions, respectively. These values were significantly greater (p < 0.05) compared to those observed in the other four populations. (2) The total amino acid (TAA) content of C. lentillifera ranged from 7.05% to 12.37%, with notable concentrations of the fresh amino acids aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu). Significant variations in the TAA and essential amino acid (EAA) levels were observed among the cultivation regions (p < 0.05), with the Shanwei population exhibiting the highest TAA content of 12.37% and EAA content of 4.65%, surpassing all other populations except for Guangdong Province (p < 0.05). (3) The fatty acid composition analysis revealed that the total fatty acid (TFA) and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) levels in the long-stemmed grape fern alga from Daya were 2.400% and 1.048%, respectively, and significantly greater than those in the other populations except for Dapeng (p < 0.05). These results imply that the nutritional quality of the Daya population of C. lentillifera is relatively high. C. lentillifera exhibits a palatable flavor profile, making it suitable for consumption and the development into high-quality seafood condiments, thereby contributing to the environmentally sustainable advancement of C. lentillifera aquaculture.