Edible seaweed
Edible seaweed is marine algae harvested and eaten as food. Common examples include kelp, nori, wakame, and dulse.
Nori: Edible sheets of dried red algae, especially Pyropia species, used in Japanese cuisine. Nori wraps sushi and seasons snacks, making it one of the best-known edible seaweeds.
Kelp: Large brown algae in the order Laminariales that form underwater forests in cool coastal waters. Several familiar foods, including kombu, come from kelps.
Seaweed farming: The cultivation of marine algae for food, materials, or other products. Farming supplies many edible species without relying solely on wild collection.
Iodine deficiency: A lack of iodine that can impair thyroid hormone production and cause goiter. Seaweed can supply iodine where diets lack it, but iodine content varies widely.
Wakame: A mild, pliable brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida, eaten in soups and salads. Wakame shows how edible seaweed is served as a vegetable in soups and salads.
Red algae: A diverse group of mostly marine algae whose pigments include phycoerythrin. Nori and dulse belong to this broad algal group.
Aquaculture: The breeding, rearing, and harvesting of aquatic organisms under managed conditions. Seaweed farming is a form of aquaculture that does not require feed or freshwater.
Heavy metal contamination: The presence of toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead, or arsenic, in food or the environment. Some seaweeds accumulate contaminants, making sourcing and testing relevant to food safety.
Kombu: A group of kelp species used in Japanese cooking, especially to make dashi broth. Kombu releases glutamates into broth, giving seaweed a major role in savory flavor.
Brown algae: A group of mostly marine algae that includes kelps and contains the pigment fucoxanthin. Kelp and wakame are brown algae, distinct from red seaweeds such as nori.