Scientists have created a glorious new type of seaweed that grows extremely quickly and tastes like bacon.
Dulse (Palmaria sp.) is harvested along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines and sold for about $90 a pound to be used in cooking, Oregon State University reported. This new strain is easier to grow and contains important nutrients and antioxidants.
"The original goal was to create a super-food for abalone, because high-quality abalone is treasured, especially in Asia," said OSU researcher Chris Langdon. "We were able to grow dulse-fed abalone at rates that exceeded those previously reported in the literature. There always has been an interest in growing dulse for human consumption, but we originally focused on using dulse as a food for abalone."
This new species of dulse has twice the nutritional content of kale, and could potentially create a new farming industry in Oregon. Researchers also created a variety of new foods with dulse as the main ingredient, including rice crackers and salad dressing. Several Portland chefs are testing dulse as a fresh local product to be used in dishes.
There are currently no commercial operations to grow dulse for human consumption in the U.S., but it is quite common in Europe.
"In Europe, they add the powder to smoothies, or add flakes onto food," Langdon said. "There hasn't been a lot of interest in using it in a fresh form. But this stuff is pretty amazing. When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it's a pretty strong bacon flavor."
Langdon has two tanks in which he is currently able to grow between 20 and 30 pounds of dulse a week, and plans to up production to 100 pounds a week.
"The dulse grows using a water recirculation system," Langdon said. "Theoretically, you could create an industry in eastern Oregon almost as easily as you could along the coast with a bit of supplementation. You just need a modest amount of seawater and some sunshine."
