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What Grows on Kelp? New Research Identifies Microbes to Monitor

A team from our Milford Lab has published the first comprehensive list of what grew on kelp throughout a growing season at one farm in Connecticut.

“We did not find any microorganisms on kelp that are food safety concerns, and detected minimal presence of species that could affect product quality, which is good news for the industry,” said lead biologist Yuan Liu.

The blades of sugar kelp underwater resemble undulating lasagna noodles. This cold-water brown algal species is a nutritious “superfood” prepared by creative chefs and available seasonally at farm-to-table restaurants. The native sea vegetable is also found in food additives, medicine, cosmetics, fertilizer, and animal feed…

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