ABSTRACT
The gastronomic value of seaweeds has a focus on the texture and flavour of different species, in particular the possibility of imparting umami to various dishes involving vegetables. The gastronomic value of seaweeds and seaweed dishes is judged by five senses: vision, taste, olfactory sense, tactile sensation, and hearing, all of which contribute. Seaweeds’ ability to appeal to all our five senses is the reason why they are used widely in world cuisine as well as in high-end gastronomy. Due to their varied shapes and colours, seaweeds are also used for decoration and to impart a particularly appealing visual appearance to a presentation, be it a salad, a soup, a dessert, or a drink. Some seaweeds are valued for their visual appearance in a dish in terms of both colours and shapes. The aroma and odour of seaweeds can sometimes be unpleasant when common decomposition products like dimethyl sulfide are present in larger amounts.
