# Valorization of Brown Seaweed (Lessonia spicata): Cellulosic Saccharification for the Development of a Functional Fermented Beverage

## TL;DR

This study shows that using enzymes to break down brown seaweed improves the fermentation and health benefits of a seaweed-based beverage.

## Contribution

The study introduces optimized enzymatic saccharification for fermenting Lessonia spicata into a functional beverage with enhanced probiotic viability.

## Key findings

- Optimized saccharification yielded 2.5 g/100 g of reducing sugars from Lessonia spicata.
- CS-treated beverages had significantly higher Lactobacillus counts (109 CFU/mL) than controls.
- Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content increased with saccharification but were not significantly different from controls.

## Abstract

This study explored the production of a fermented beverage using Huiro negro (Lessonia spicata), a brown seaweed, as a substrate. The cellulosic saccharification (CS) process was optimized via response surface methodology, identifying that the best conditions were 60 U/g of enzyme at 60 °C for 1.9 h, yielding 2.5 g/100 g of reducing sugars. The resulting hydrolysate was fermented with Lactobacillus spp. for 48 h at 30 °C and compared with a non-saccharified control. The beverage’s proximate composition, total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant capacity (AC), and Lactobacillus spp. viability over 16 days of storage at 4 °C were assessed. CS-treated samples showed a progressive increase in TPC, reaching 126.59 ± 5.58 mg GA/L, which correlated with higher AC. However, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in TPC and AC between saccharified and non-saccharified beverages. Notably, the CS-treated beverage achieved significantly higher (p < 0.05) Lactobacillus spp. counts (109 CFU/mL) compared to the control (107 CFU/mL), maintaining viability throughout storage. While further research is needed to confirm bioavailability and gut health effects, these findings shows that enzymatic saccharification substantially improves fermentation performance and functional properties in Lessonia spicata-based beverages.