Vegetarians rejoice! Non-meat eaters will often admit it's the smell of bacon that makes their bellies rumble enough to almost turn, but now science has come up with something that might hit the spot.
Researchers at Oregon State University have patented a new strain of succulent red marine algae that tastes like bacon when it's cooked.
The protein-packed algae sea vegetable called dulse grows extraordinarily fast and is wild along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines. It has been sold for centuries in a dried form around northern Europe, used in cooking and as a nutritional supplement, according to the report. It costs about US$90 for 500g.
However, researcher, Chris Langdon has created a new strain of the weed which looks like a translucent red lettuce. An excellent source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants the "superfood" contains up to 16 per cent protein in dry weight, Langdon said. It has twice the nutritional value of kale.
"The original goal was to create a super-food for abalone, because high-quality abalone is treasured, especially in Asia," Langdon said.
"We were able to grow dulse-fed abalone at rates that exceeded those previously reported in the literature. There always has been an interest in growing dulse for human consumption, but we originally focused on using dulse as a food for abalone."
