Influence of harvest time and cultivation region on primary and secondary metabolites of Korean laver (Porphyra spp.)

초록

Laver (Porphyra spp.) is an economically important red seaweed primarily consumed in East Asia, yet detailed information on its nutritional composition remains limited. This study reports a first pseudo-targeted, in-depth seasonal and regional metabolite profiling of Korean laver harvested between December and March from five major cultivation regions during the 2021–2023 seasons. Using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, a total of 109 primary and nutrient metabolites were identified. Multivariate analysis (VIP > 1.0) revealed 43 primary metabolites that varied with harvest time and cultivation region in this dataset. Sweet-taste amino acids (alanine, glycine, and serine) and umami-taste amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) were more abundant in samples harvested in December and January. Additionally, seven carotenoids (fucoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-apo-8′-carotenal, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene and β-carotene) and seven free phenolic acids (dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid hexoside, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid gallate, dimethoxy hydroxycinnamic acid, and salicylic acid) were identified, several of which showed higher levels in early-winter samples. Taken together, these results suggest quality relevant markers for distinguishing harvest times and cultivation regions, thereby providing a scientific basis for product differentiation and the implementation of targeted quality control in laver production.

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