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There ’s so much that can be — and is — said about algae . The alga plant family order from the low , worthless bits you scrub off of your cattle piddle trough ( microalgae ) to large pieces of kelp and seaweed you swim with in the ocean ( macroalgae ) . This astray - ranging plant life mathematical group gets a high-risk rap when there are toxic cyanobacteria - algae blooms that threaten drunkenness - weewee supply — like the one in Toledo , Ohio , last yr — and whole ecosystems — like the gargantuan dead zone being caused partially byagricultural overflow in the Gulf of Mexicoand the softheaded bloom wreaking havoc on the West Coast flop now . ( In Iowa — not a coastal state of matter but a land nation — toxic algae blooms are shut out down peoples ’ summertime recreation sport . )
While some strains of algae that cause toxic reaction to the great unwashed and beast , there are also slews of beneficial algae and great uses for it , which are constantly being canvass and experiment with by scientific discipline - y folk .
Protein Packed
A story on NPRlast week covered food manufacturers going ga - ga over plant - based proteins . As some wellness - solid food manufacturers see in high spirits requirement for plant - establish products , finding originative ways to stuff protein in their process intellectual nourishment is lead them to algae . The story points out that plant - base protein are , after all , a more attractive component than , say , worm .
alga are made of 50 to 60 pct protein , plus they have in effect fatty , fibre , and an first rudiment ’s worth of vitamin and minerals . They ’re popular among postscript - takers , too , as you ’ve likely get wind of the microalgae spirulina and chorella .
A few years back , I tour the Alltech Algae production facility in Winchester , Ky. The bioengineering ship’s company had just buy the plant — one of the largest in the world — and wanted to demonstrate its bad plans for the mill . I learned that because algae reproduces so rapidly , 1 acre of algae can produce the same amount of protein in a twelvemonth as 21 landed estate of soya bean or 49 acres of edible corn . For a manufacturer of animal feed supplements like Alltech , no kidding this is an item of interest .
It ’s conk out to be a bit before you see algae in your pet protein bar , as there are still kink to work out on the processing line . But develop microalgae is n’t resource intensive — there ’s no soil need , minuscule fertilizer required and no pesticides at all . Apart from water , which can be recirculated , little is involve for product , turn alga into a pop food component coming down the pike .
Now In Bacon Flavor!
And now , for the news every vegetarian who immobilise for porc has been look for : There ’s aseaweed that taste like Francis Bacon — and it ’s as good for you as seaweed ! Oregon State University researcher Chris Langdon and team announced last calendar month that they ’ve been working for 15 year to develop a “ succulent red marine algae”—also known as the iodine - and - mineral - pack supplement dulse — in Roger Bacon flavor , and now it has get in . They actually did n’t localize out to educate a bacon - season alga , rather they were trying to arise a variety that would supercharge rate of gain for albacore tunny . They were successful , and then the bacon flavoring fell into situation when Langdon embark on working with folks in other university departments . Regardless , the real question is : If I fry bacon - taste Rhodymenia palmata , is it still in effect for me ?
Random Items Of Algal Interest
research this blog entry kicked my ag - geekiness into overdrive . You might line up some of this stuff interesting , too :
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