In this episode of our podcast we dive deep into the world of edible seaweed with expert Dr Alecia Bellgrove. Listen to the podcast below.
Seaweed is having a renaissance. For years it has been undervalued; out of sight, out of mind. However, researchers around the country and the world have begun to explore its amazing potential as an alternative to many products and practices which are proving to be unsustainable in the long-term.
The seaweed industry is growing rapidly. Not only in food pro- duction where it currently accounts for $5 billion worldwide, but also in the medical and agricultural sectors.
In Australia, research into seaweed is still in its infancy, but there are many exciting findings suggesting that seaweed may become a solution to many problems affecting our planet.
So what is it that makes seaweed so special? Seaweed acts as a biofilter, cleaning and deacidifying the water around it. As it does this it takes up minerals and nutrients from the surrounding water, whether this is in the ocean or aquaculture farms.
The seaweed then becomes dense in these essentials minerals and nutrients, making them available for use else- where.
In this podcast, Pip editor Robyn Rosenfeldt chats with Dr Bellgrove from Deakin University in Warrnambool, Australia.
Dr Bellgrove shares her groundbreaking research into edible seaweed in Australia, plus her tips for foraging without destroying marine ecosystems. She shares scientific results from local studies as well as her crowdfunded work on seaweed taste testing.
We also explore cooking with edible seaweeds and its uses, including using them as garden fertiliser and even chook food. Dr Bellgrove shares her experiences of eating seaweed and tips for using it in the kitchen.
Dr Bellgrove’s extensive knowledge is featured in Issue #9 of Pip Magazine, which also includes a guide to edible seaweed foraging.
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