ABSTRACT
Edible marine algae or seaweeds, sometimes referred to as sea vegetables, from the Protista taxonomies Phaeophyceae (brown [B]), Chlorophyceae (green [G]), and Rhodophyceae (red [R]) are ubiquitous in Paci c (e.g., Indonesia, Philippines, Maori, Hawaii) and Asian (e.g., Japan, China, Korea) diets, and are also present,
albeit to a lesser extent, in waters of France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Wales, as well as the Canadian Maritime provinces and Maine in the United States. Traditionally, seaweeds have been incorporated into diets as fresh or blanched algae in salads, soups, or garnishes such as the Caulerpa spp. (G), Sargassum spp. (B), and Porphyra spp. (R) in the Philippines [1]; sushi components known as “Nori” or “Kim” (Porphyra tenera and P. yezoensis) in Japan and Korea, respectively; seasonings and condiments such as the Laminaria spp. (B), “Arame” (Eisenia bicyclis, B), “Hijiki”(Hijikia fusiformis, B), “Wakame” (Undaria pinnatifi da, B) in Japan. Seaweeds are also used in soups such as “Hai dai” (L. japonica, B) in China; ingredients in stews, salads, or condiments such as “Limu Pa-lahalaha” (Ulva fasciata, G) in Hawaii; snack foods and ingredients in soups, salads, etc., such as the EuropeanNorth American (NA) red alga “Dulse” (Palmaria palmata, R) [2]; as fresh or sundried ingredients for steaming, fermenting, or as a chewing gum such as “Karengo” (Porphyra columbina, R) by the Maori of New Zealand [3]; and even as an ingredient in baked goods such as “Laver” (P. umbilicalis, R) in laver bread in Wales. More recently, fresh and dried seaweeds have been enjoying a growing popularity in gourmet cuisine as side dishes, garnishes, and condiments on today’s restaurant menus. Seaweeds also have a long history of use in the food industry as sources of gelling, thickening, and emulsifying agents, including alginates (alginic acid) from the brown kelps (e.g., Macrocystis and Laminaria spp.), carrageenans from the red alga Chondrus crispus, and agars from red algae such as Gelidium, Gracilaria, and Gelidiella spp.; in fact, a dessert unique to Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes, Seaweed Pie, is based on the thickening capacity of the native “Irish Moss” (C. crispus) harvested from island beaches.
