7(2): 178-186 (2013) DOI: 10.3153/jfscom.2013018 Journal of FisheriesSciences.com E-ISSN 1307-234X © 2013 www.fisheriessciences.com RESEARCH ARTICLE ARAŞTIRMA MAKALESİ PROXIMATE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND AMINO ACID PROFILE OF TWO RED SEAWEEDS (Hypnea pannosa AND Hypnea musciformis) COLLECTED FROM ST. MARTIN’S ISLAND, BANGLADESH Mohammad Abdul Momin Siddique 1, 2, ∗ , Mahbuba Aktar 2 , Mohd Azim bin Mohd Khatib 1 1 Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia 2 Institute of Marine Science and Fisheries, University of Chittagong, Chittagong – 4331, Bangladesh Abstract: The proximate composition and amino acid profile of two subtropical red seaweeds (Hypnea pannosa and Hypnea musciformis) were investigated. The total protein (16.31 ±0.72% DW for H. pannosa and 18.64±1.12% for H. musciformis) and dietary fibre (40.59±0.95% DW for H. pannosa and 37.92±1.44% for H. musciformis) were the two most abundant components in these seaweeds. The mean percentage (dry weight basis) of crude lipid, carbohydrates and ash were 1.56 ±0.22%, 22.89 ±1.26% and 18.65 ±0.54% for H. pannosa and 1.27 ±0.41%, 20.60±1.68% and 21.57 ±1.04% for H. musciformis; respectively. H. pannosa and H. musci- formis contained all the essential amino acids, which accounted for 52.27% and 53.89% of the total amino acids; respectively. Lysine, methionine and tyrosine were the limiting amino acids for H. pannosa (53.3, 14.6 and 25.8 mg/g protein; respectively) and H. musciformis (45.6, 16.2 and 26.2 mg/g protein; respectively). The proximate chemical composition and amino acid pro- file of these two red seaweed species exhibited high nutritional value for human consumption. Keywords: H. pannosa, H. musciformis; Red seaweed, Proximate chemical composition, St. Martin’s Island, Bangladesh ∗ Correspondence to: Mohammad Abdul Momin SIDDIQUE, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, MALAYSIA Tel: +60102101971 E-mail: tigermomin@yahoo.com 178