Sugar Kelp and Giant Kelp are marine algae that offer a sustainable and nutritious option for food production. Harvesting these kelps typically involves hand-picking or mechanical methods, ensuring the regrowth nodes are left intact to allow for regrowth. Once harvested, the kelp is rinsed and can be processed in various ways depending on the intended use.
In order to be stored or transported over long distance kelp can be air-dried or kiln-dried to extend its shelf life. Dried kelp can be ground into powder, which forms a white sweet-tasting layer on the frondhttps://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/milford-lab-takes-sugar-kelp-cultivation.
A brief list of how kelp can be used in different kind of food or cooking production:
- Fresh: Fresh kelp can be used directly in cooking. It’s often added to soups and stews as a vegetable or used to wrap and steam meats and fish.
Food Products: - Alginates: Extracted from Giant Kelp, alginates are used as emulsifiers and thickeners in products like ice cream, cereal, and toothpaste
- Snacks: Dried Sugar Kelp can be made into crisps, offering a crunchy, salty snack.
- Sweeteners: The natural sugars in kelp, such as mannitol, provide a subtle sweetness, making it a unique sweetener
Kelp brings a complex flavor profile to dishes. It has a satisfyingly salty and slightly bitter taste, reminiscent of the ocean’s essence. The umami-rich flavor is complemented by a subtle sweetness, balancing savory and briny notes. This makes kelp a versatile ingredient that enhances the taste of stocks, slow-cooked meats, and even baked goods.
Incorporating kelp into food products not only adds a burst of flavor but also infuses the dishes with a wealth of vitamins and minerals. As the interest in sustainable and health-conscious eating grows, kelp stands out as a promising ingredient in the culinary world. It also widens our possibilities to grow food in the open waters and reduces the stress on land.
Obviously the harvested kelp needs to be examined closely to make sure it was collected from safe waters and go through rigorous testing to prove it’s safety, not every piece of open water is suitable for this.