## 4 Discussion
Statistically significant differences among the species are expressed by different letters. phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and sodium (450, 950, 5691, and 6494 mg 100 g DW, respectively) [61]. According to the literature, the nutritional profile of _U. pinmatifida_ does not differ significantly across geographical zones, yielding similar results in terms of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, and mineral content. The lipid and protein profiles, on the other hand, can vary or contain different concentrations of each compound [59; 61], depending on the geographical distribution and respective environments. The seaweed _S. polyschides_ harvested from the central west coast of Portugal (Buarcos Bay, Figueira da Foz) in the spring of 2012 revealed an overall higher nutritional, micronutrient, and trace element composition [62]. As well as the seaweed _S. latissima_, which was harvested in the spring of 2010 in Nova Scotia, Canada, it exhibited an overall higher nutritional profile, presenting 8.1% of crude protein, 5.5% of total lipids, 24.5% of ashes, and 59.8% of carbohydrates [45]. Furthermore, the same species grown by a seaweed aquaculture company in northern France (Brittany) and harvested in April 2015 demonstrated a general higher concentration of the micronutrient and trace element composition. Despite the similar nutritional content of _S. latissima_, particularly regarding the lipid content, in this study, a lower protein concentration (10.2 g 100 g DW) and a higher ashes and fiber content (20.4 and 40.9 g 100 g DW, respectively) [32] was reported. However, it is important to remember that the harvesting season and geolocation, as well as the techniques used for these analyses, will all have an impact on the results obtained [63; 64]. A team of researchers analyzed the chemical composition of _L. chroleuca_ harvested in the winter of 2015 in the Galician Vizcaya Gulf (Spain), revealing a lower micronutrient and trace element composition in comparison with the present study [65]. In comparison with the nutrient reference value of a diet, established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a 100 g seaweed portion fulfills the needs of an average adult. However, the species _U. pinmatifida_ and _S. polyschides_ exceed the standard values (0.375 g), exhibiting an amount higher than 0.40 g Mg 100 g\({}^{-1}\). Moreover, all the seaweeds evaluated in the present study surpass the recommended amount of sodium (0.60 g), presenting values that exceed 1 g Na 100 g\({}^{-1}\). Regarding the iron concentration, the seaweeds _S. polyschides_ and _S. latissima_ also exceed the recommend values (0.014 g), containing 0.016 and 0.062 g Fe 100 g\({}^{-1}\). Nonetheless, seaweeds have the potential to be both functional foods and mineral nutraceutical suppliers [72]. The incorporation of these macro and micronutrients in the daily diet are pivotal because deficiencies in one or more of these nutrients can lead to chronic disorders in many circumstances [42]. For instance, calcium is a key structural bone and teeth component, and, for this reason, the amount of calcium \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline  & \% & & & & **mg/100 g DW** & & & & \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{_U. pinmatifida_} & N & P & Ca & Mg & K & Na & Fe & Zn & Cu & Mn & Ref. \\  & ND & 450–1070 & 693–950 & 405-630 & 5679–691 & 3511–6494 & ND & 0.94–3.86 & 0.94–3.86 & 0.33–0.69 & [59; 61] \\ _S. polyschides_ & 1-2.8 & 2.5 & 897–220 & 240–1288 & 6575–18800 & 70 & 555–303 & 0.05 & 0.01 & 0.01 & [62; 66] \\ _S. latissima_ & 1.63 & ND & 919.4 & 611.1 & 3869.4 & 3048.3 & 185.4 & 3.86 & 3.86 & 0.56 & [32; 45] \\ L. _c.chroleuca_ * & ND & 1.8 & 10.6 & 4.1 & 84.3 & 20.4 & 87.0 & 243.0 & 18.5 & ND & [65] \\ NVR (mg) & ND & 700 & 800 & 375 & 2000 & 600 & 14 & 10 & 1 & 2 & [67; 68] \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
* The results are expressed in mg/kg.  
\end{table} 
Table 8: Micronutrient and trace element composition of _U. pinmatifida_, _S. latissima_, _L. chroleuca_, and _S. polyschides_ according to the literature. ND—not determined.