潜水简介:
- 美国农业部授予缅因州的维生素授予600,000美元的小型企业创新研究赠款，以开发一种基于海藻的面包，称为Seakelp+，according to BakeryandSnacks。
- 去年，美国农业部为该公司提供了100,000美元以开始开发原型，但是第二轮资金将使该公司可以开始与面包店的配方合作并开始市场测试。
- 维生素已经为各种产品提供海藻，包括能量棒，巧克力和动物补充剂。
潜水见解：
海藻将成为西方市场的主要趋势。根据Innova Market Insights的说法，海藻，Nori，Kelp和Wakame Saw等海蔬菜新产品推出的21％增长从2012年到2016年，商业海藻市场是projected to reach $17.59 billion到2021年。
With such growth potential, it’s no wonder that companies are becoming creative with their applications for the ingredient. Seaweed is known for its many health benefits. It contains nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid. It’s also low in calories and is vegan, gluten-free and kosher. This unique combination makes it an attractive ingredient to many consumers whose tastes coincide with a number of current food trends, includingplant-based diets,exotic ingredients和environmentally friendly foods.
美国农业部很可能有兴趣为维生素的研究提供资金，因为与商业成功的基于海藻的面包相关的潜在公共卫生益处。除了有营养益处，海藻还carbon negative, absorbing carbon dioxide from the sea. It is also fast-growing and requires no fresh water or fertilizer. If VitaminSea is able to produce a popular alternative product to traditional wheat-based bread, both the environment and the general population will benefit.
但是，根据面包的味道和外观，维生素可能难以销售Seakelp+。Although research recently indicatedthat consumers are more likely to buy wraps that contained seaweed, it also showed they are just as interested in those that contained 5% seaweed as options with 50% or 100% seaweed. At the 100% seaweed level, consumers were hesitant to try the product due to questions about texture, taste, aroma and flavor.
Likewise, if SeaKelp+ tastes too much like the ocean or has a green tinge, it may cause consumers to associate their product with molding bread — not a good way to convince would-be customers to purchase a product. At the same time, bakeries and supermarkets that would distribute the bread may also be turned off by its appearance.
如果海藻生产商可以成功地与面包店合作开发中性的彩色和品尝产品，那么毫无疑问，它将需要它。基于海藻的食物已经开始起飞了，包括“海意大利面”from firms like Seamore Foods, Atlantic Kitchen, Wild Irish Seaweeds and Mara Seaweed. Snack products like kelp jerky fromNew York-based start-up Shoreline和seaweed chips from Ocean’s Halo, as well as VitaminSea itself have also shown to be popular.
While no prototype or recipe is yet in existence, with more than half a million dollars to extend experimentation, it will be interesting to see what creative recipes the producer comes up with in efforts to get more seaweed in people’s diets.
