Inclusion of macroalgae in the diet - a comparative survey from Norway, Chile and China

Macroalgae have been an important dietary component in many parts of the world for centuries, especially in Eastern Asia. In recent years, a combination of factors has contributed to enhance the use of macroalgae as food in the global market. Since macroalgae as a commercially available food are new in many countries, only a handful of studies have investigated their use and consumption.

In this tri-continental survey, we included three distant countries, each known for macroalgae producers with a long coast: Chile, China, and Norway. Our objective was to compare current uses of macroalgae as food, in a convenient sample dominated by male and female adult students.

A macroalgae-specific food frequency questionnaire with a 4-week recall period was used to assess intake frequencies, species, and product types among a convenient sample of Norwegian, Chinese, and Chilean students.

A total of 585 respondents who answered the survey considered macroalgae as appealing foods due to their flavor (23-67%) and nutritional benefits (49-90%). This study reported lack of awareness about potential food safety issues in this group. In the samples from Chile and China, tradition was important in terms of consumption of macroalgae, while food novelty seemed to be a major factor in the Norwegian group. However, all three countries consumed a similar number of species (17-19) and products containing macroalgae (17-18). Chinese respondents especially stood out for their frequency of consuming different products containing algae.

A variety of species were found the diet in all the population groups, either in pure form or as an ingredient in a variety of products. Further research on macroalgae intake in Norway, including amounts consumed, would be useful to develop food regulations and, furthermore, recommendations that are commonly known to consumers.