Israeli researchers develop innovative way to grow nutrient-rich seaweeds

Israeli researchers have developed an innovative way to grow seaweeds rich in nutrients, proteins, dietary fibre and minerals for human and animal needs, Tel Aviv University (TAU) in central Israel said.

The enriched seaweeds could potentially be used as natural food, thanks to their nutritional values, and could help address food insecurity, TAU added on Sunday.

The research, led by TAU and Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, shows that using a two-step technique that first grows seaweed with finfish and then exposes the plant to short-term high irradiance, nutrient starvation, and high salinity to stimulate synthesis of desired ingredients in their tissues, according to the study.

This process enabled high growth rates of up to 25 per cent seaweed biomass increase per day, with enhancements in the amount of protein, starch and minerals within days, as per the study as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

The research was newly published in the journal Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies.