Sea Vegetables: Goals and Mission
Goal of Study
The goal of this 12-month (July 1, 2018 鈥� June 30, 2019) study is to determine the nutritional and market value of four sea vegetables (fresh and dried products) grown in the HBOI IMTA system for human consumption.
- Characterize the nutritional value and servings sizes using analyses to develop FDA Nutrition Facts label for the sea vegetables. That includes proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins.
- Determine potential contaminates for the sea vegetables. The microbiological assays include coliform, E. coli, yeast and mold, aerobic plate count, Listeria, and Salmonella. The class 1 metals include total arsenic, total cadmium, lead and mercury.
- Determine the shelf life for dried Ulva lactuca.
- Determine a potential path for certification for marketing sea vegetables as a food product for human consumption.
Serving sizes were based on visually determining appropriate amounts for the average diet and referencing commercial products and recipes.
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This seaweed is highly variable in color and form. It is a delicate, branching red seaweed, which grows free or attached. It grows in depths of approx. 10 m, but most commonly less than 1 m (Littler et al. 2008. Submersed Plants of the Indian River Lagoon). It is a popular aquaculture species and is used primarily for the agar market and is gaining popularity for human consumption. Gracilaria makes for a great addition to soups, salads, ceviche and smoothies. It is used in a popular Caribbean drink known as seamoss or Irish moss drink. |
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Close up of听Gracilaria听being harvested |
Gracilaria听in the IMTA tank |
厂迟辞肠办颈苍驳听Gracilaria听in the IMTA tank |
Close up of听Gracilaria, red seaweed |
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This green seaweed is known for thin, sheet-like appearance, which contributes to its name 鈥渟ea lettuce鈥�. The edges are smooth to undulating, rounded, and often lobed. It is commonly found in shallow calm coves (Littler et al. 2008. Submersed Plants of the Indian River Lagoon). It grows very fast in the wild and in culture and is harvested worldwide as an edible seaweed.听 Ulva 听makes for a great addition to soups, salads, and smoothies. |
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| Sea Lettuce,听Ulva lactuca听in IMTA system | 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Harvested Sea Lettuce for nutrition analysis | 听 听 听 听 听 Close up of Sea Lettuce, Ulva lactuca |
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| Weighing dried Sea Lettuce for nutrition analysis |
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This halophyte plant, also known as Sea Purslane, is often found naturally growing in the salty dunes along ocean shorelines. The plant鈥檚 thick, succulent, fleshy narrow leaves are dark green with red branching stems that form dense low-growing mats. The plant can have light pink/purple flowers growing among the leaves. The green succulent leaves are edible and make for a great addition to salads and cooked dishes. |
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Sea Purslane IMTA tanks |
Harvested Sea Purslane for nutritional analysis |
Removing Sea Purslane leaves for nutritional analysis |
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Sea Purslane leaves for shipment for analysis |
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This thin, deep green colored sea vegetable is found in salty marshes off of coastlines. The succulent-type plant is made up of shoots that are 2-4 inches long and about 1/8 inch wide. Similar to asparagus, it is segmented along the stem and a spear at the top. The stems and branches of this succulent plant are edible and make for a great addition to salads and cooked dishes. |
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Sea Asparagus in the IMTA tank system |
Close up of young Sea Asparagus plants growing in IMTA system |
Harvesting Sea Aspargus stems for nutritional analysis |
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Sea Aspargus leaves being weighed for shipment for analyses |
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Sea Vegetables: Conclusions
Preliminary Conclusions
- The four sea vegetables grown in HBOI鈥檚 IMTA system are low in calories, almost fat-free, contain no added sugars, and are a good source of high quality protein, fiber and potassium.
- The seaweeds and sea vegetables contain beneficial salts. The sea vegetables have the highest amounts of these salts.
- The seaweeds have higher levels of iodine than the sea vegetables.
- The seaweeds and sea vegetables contain no mercury and lead.
- All four sea vegetables show no detectable E. coli and were negative for Listeria and Salmonella.
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Midwest Laboratories鈥攏utritional analyses and class I metals Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovation 鈥� microbiological tests HBOI Research Biologists assisted with the culture and harvest of the sea vegetables for this study:
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Determining Nutritional Value and Market for Sea Vegetables grown in an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System for Human Consumption can take a kernel of an idea and grow it into a thriving business, creating jobs, building wealth and driving innovation.
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Megan Davis, Ph.D. (PI) |
Paul S. Wills, Ph.D. (Co-PI) |
Jennifer Conway (Food Scientist) |
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HBOI Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture(IMTA) Outdoor System for Seaweeds and Sea Vegetables |
Since 2012, HBOI has been operating a marine Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system supported with funds from Aquaculture Specialty License Plate granted through the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation. Using HBOI's IMTA technology combined with HBOI's macroalgae research that began in the 1970s; HBOI has cultured vast amounts of sea vegetables in the IMTA system. Two of these are seaweeds: Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca) and the Red Seaweed (Gracilaria tikvahiae); and two are halophyte plants: Sea Asparagus (Salicornia bigelovii), and Sea Purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum). The sea vegetables effectively remove the nutrients that are produced from the marine fish, shrimp and other species grown in the IMTA system. As the sea vegetables are removing nutrients from the water they in turn yield highly productive and desirable, yet underutilized crops. |
The goal of this study is to determine the nutritional value, potential contaminates, and an example of what would be needed for certification for marketing the sea vegetables. This information is valuable to assist potential producers with product development and marketing of these IMTA aquaculture sea vegetables, which will help to grow new aquaculture sea vegetable industries in Florida.
This project is supported with pilot-project funds from the Aquaculture Specialty License Plate granted through the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation. Additional support for this project comes from 糖心Vlog Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
