The Use of Ulva Lactuca as a Sustainable Functional Additive in Pescetarian Salmon Patties

Individuals adopting a pescetarian diet demand nutritionally balanced, sustainable, and functional products. Ulva lactuca, with its high protein content, antioxidant capacity, and sustainable production methods, provides high potential for the development of functional pescetarian products. This study investigated the impacts of various concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, and 1%) of U. lactuca on the quality characteristics of salmon patties during 30 days of storage. The proximate composition, color, pH, lipid oxidation, cooking and textural properties of patties were evaluated. Use of U. lactuca significantly increased the protein and fat content of patties compared to the control group (p<0.05). The pH values of U. lactuca-containing patties were higher than control group and had a decreasing trend throughout 30 days of storage in all groups. The use of U. lactuca effectively limited lipid oxidation during storage. U. lactuca addition significantly affected color parameters, causing a decrement in L* and a* values, and color differences (ΔE) became more pronounced at higher concentrations. U. lactuca addition increased cooking efficiency and reduced total shrinkage. Texture analysis showed that U. lactuca addition reduced firmness and chewiness values. These findings suggest that U. lactuca could be an important functional ingredient for pescetarian fish-based products, offering significant improvements in nutritional quality, oxidative stability, and cooking performance.