Some species ofjellyfish are suitable for human consumption and are used as a source of food and as an ingredient in variousdishes.Edible jellyfish is aseafood that is harvested and consumed in severalEast andSoutheast Asian countries, and in some Asian countries it is considered to be adelicacy. Edible jellyfish is often processed into a dried product. Several types of foods and dishes may be prepared with edible jellyfish, including salads, sushi, noodles, andmain courses. Various preparation methods exist.
In China, some species of jellyfish in theRhizostomeae order caught in coastal areas have been utilized as an aphrodisiac and a source of food and ingredient inChinese cuisine for over 1,700 years.[1]Cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris)[2][3] andjelly blubber (Catostylus mosaicus)[4][5][6] are edible species of jellyfish. When live, the cannonball jellyfish contains toxins that can cause cardiac problems.Rhopilema esculentum[7] andRhopilema hispidum are edible jellyfish, and are the most common ones consumed in China, Japan and Korea.[2] Additional edible jellyfish species includeAurelia aurita,Crambionella orsini,[8]Chrysaora pacifica,Lobonema smithii,Lobonemoides gracilis andNomura's jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai).[2] Desalted ready-to-use jellyfish are low in calories and contain hardly any fat, about 5% protein and 95% water.[9] They do not have much flavor, and may be used to add additional texture andmouthfeel to various dishes.[10] In some areas of Asia, jellyfish is "associated with easing bone and muscle pain."[10]
In 2001, the annual global harvest of edible jellyfish was estimated to be around 321,000 metric tons (316,000 long tons; 354,000 short tons).[1] The most prominent countries involved in edible jellyfish production are Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.[2] In China, jellyfish larvae are reared in ponds before being released as juveniles into the sea to grow and mature.[11] InSoutheast Asia, edible species of jellyfish may be harvested using various nets such as drift nets, scoop nets, set nets and hand nets, hooks and beachseines.[1] In 2001, the estimated annual catch in Southeast Asia in net weight was at around 169,000 metric tons (166,000 long tons; 186,000 short tons).[1] The amount of jellyfish caught annually in this region can vary significantly, and the fishing season for them is relatively short, at two to four months.[1]
Traditional methods of processing jellyfish into adried food product can take a considerable amount of time, between 19 and 37 days.[2] A common processing technique is thepreservation of jellyfish, which may utilizesalt curing to accomplish this, creating a dried finished product.[10][12] Some commercially processed edible jellyfish are purveyed in dried sheets.[12] The process of producingdehydrated jellyfish typically includes the removal of the tentacles prior to drying,[6][13] because the upper dome area of the marine animal is the part typically used for cooking.[10]
Jellyfish deteriorate rapidly at room temperature so processing starts soon after they are caught. The bell is separated from the dangling oral arms and both are washed in seawater before being scraped to remove the gonads andmucus. Dehydration is traditionally undertaken by sprinkling the jellyfish withtable salt andalum, draining off thebrine and repeating the process.[14] Finally the jellyfish are heaped to drain, turned several times and left to dry. The whole process takes three to six weeks and results in a product with about 65% moisture and 20% salt. The alum reduces thepH and serves to firm the texture while the salt removes water and preventsmicrobial deterioration. In Malaysia and Thailand, a littlesodium bicarbonate, which facilitates dehydration and increases crispness, is added during processing.[9]
Jellyfish is consumed in several East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. In 2001, it was reported that Japan had annually imported between 5,400 and 10,000 tons of edible jellyfish from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.[1] Dehydrated andpickled jellyfish is considered a delicacy in several Asian countries, including China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.[4][15] Dehydrated jellyfish can be prepared for eating by soaking it in water for several hours to rehydrate it, and then parboiling, rinsing and slicing it.[13]
Consumingechizen kurage is potentially dangerous if the toxic part is not thoroughly cleaned and cooked.[16]
Jellyfish salad, a popular dish in some areas of Asia, may be prepared using coldmarinated jellyfish that is thinly sliced.[17] Some Chinese restaurants such as Din Tai Fung serve jellyfish salad as a part of their meals.[13] Jellyfish sushi is consumed in Japan.[18] In Thailand, a crunchy style of noodle is produced using jellyfish.[18] The Japanese company Tango Jersey Dairy produces a vanilla and jellyfish ice cream,[19][20] prepared using cubes of dicedNomura's jellyfish (Echizen kurage inJapanese) soaked in milk.[20] It has been described as "slightly chewy". InSarawak, the eastern part ofMalaysia, a traditional delicacy byMelanau people also uses raw fresh jellyfish into a salad dish calledUmai.[21][20] Following the 2009 Japanese Nomura'sjellyfish bloom, students inObama, Fukui designed a Nomurao Jellyfish powder to be used to make caramel sweets as part of a NASA-designed food safety management system established in the school.[22]
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