Kakinada: Food items, prepared from algae plants will make a mark in the coming years. Algae cultivation is going on in Tamil Nadu and the food items mixed with seaweed are being prepared in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh also has vast potential for algae cultivation, especially in coastal areas as it has vast coastline.
“There is a great demand for seaweed vegetable food items abroad due to its medicinal values. Dishes prepared by using algae has a good market in US and other countries,” said the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute former deputy director Dr P.V. Subba Rao. He said that the dishes made from algae removes toxic substances from the human body and it keeps them healthy.
Former director of NFMC Prof. G. Subramanian said that now that the seaweed food is capturing the US market, the super food would enter the Indian market soon. It has great medicinal values and tastes good too. Algae plants can be used in juices, pickles and other food items.
Dr Subbarao said that Japan, Indonesia and Philippines export algae products to other countries especially US and majority of the countries are making use of the seaweed. But, in India, there is no awareness of seaweed technology, except in Tamil Nadu.
Eminent microbiologist A. Srinivasa Rao said that they were making efforts to create awareness on seaweed cultivation and its importance to the government as well as the people of Andhra Pradesh.
