A new study published in Future Foods tested whether lactic acid fermentation can improve the taste and texture of seaweed in common foods. Researchers worked with the brown seaweed Alaria esculenta and made two spreadable products: a cream cheese and a baobab spread.
The team compared untreated, fermented and acidified seaweed at concentrations of 10% and 15% in the products. Sensory assessments found that fermentation reduced strong marine notes and produced a milder, fresher and more balanced flavour, especially in the cream cheese.
Fermentation also changed texture: the cream cheese with fermented seaweed was firmer, more stable and described by participants as chewier and less runny than other versions. In a consumer taste test with 160 participants, the fermented cream cheese averaged 7.2 out of 9, compared with 6.1 for the untreated version.
The authors present fermentation as a promising way to make nutritious seaweed foods that taste good. They also note the value of combining sensory work, microbiology and consumer research in the project.
Difficult words
- fermentation — process where microorganisms change foodlactic acid fermentation
- sensory — connected with the senses, like taste
- acidify — to make something more acidic or souracidified
- texture — the way food feels in the mouth
- spreadable — able to be spread on bread or other food
- flavour — the overall taste of food or drink
- participant — a person who takes part in a studyparticipants
- nutritious — healthy to eat, with useful nutrients
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you try a fermented seaweed spread that tastes milder? Why or why not?
- How could firmer texture affect whether people like a spreadable seaweed product? Give one advantage and one disadvantage.
- What ways could researchers use consumer tests to improve new food products like these spreads?
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