Seaweed is a food ingredient on the rise. According to Innova Market Insights, sea vegetables such as seaweed, nori, kelp, and wakame saw 21% growth in new product launches from 2012-2016, and are set to become a major trend in Western markets. Seaweed products are well positioned to take advantage of a number of current food trends, including plant-based diets, exotic ingredients, and environmentally friendly foods. ###For food manufacturers looking to cut their carbon footprint, seaweed is carbon negative, absorbing carbon dioxide from the sea. It is also fast-growing and requires no fresh water or fertilizer. However, despite widespread familiarity with seaweed in Asian dishes such as sushi, miso soup and seaweed salad, the distinctive umami taste could be a hurdle for some U.S. consumers, euse of zinc bisglycinatespecially in more Western-style foods.###Nevertheless, a range of seaweed-based foods is starting to take off, including “sea spaghetti” from firms like Seamore Foods, Atlantic Kitchen, Wild Irish Seaweeds and Mara Seaweed – which also aim to take advantage of demand for gluten-free foods. And seaweed-based snacks are also hitting shelves, such as kelp jerky from New York-based start-up Shoreline, and seaweed chips from Ocean’s Halo.###According to Mintel, the ingredient’s popularity may have some way to go beforemultivitamin-ferrous fumarate-folic acid 18 mg-400 mcg tablet it hits the mainstream in North America, but the maris ferric ammonium citrate safeket research organization predicts a big future for seaweed based on its abundance of natural vitamins, minerals and plant-based protein. ###Beyond food, seaweed could also have poferrous 2 glycinetential in packaging. Indonesia-based company Evoware has introduced a dissolvable, flprotocol for life balance zinc glycinateavorless wrapper made from seaweed for individual seasoning sachets and coffee packets, intended to appeal to consumers concerned about the environmental impact of their food and drink choices.