Participants sought for taste research on seaweed salad
Maine is home to a growing seaweed farming industry, but many domestic seaweed salads are made with imported products. To help the Maine aquaculture industry develop new markets for the products, University of Maine food science researchers are studying the palatability of Maine sugar kelp in salads.
Participants are needed for a research project on the taste of seaweed salads. The trial will be conducted 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. April 24 at the Sensory Evaluation Center, 158 Hitchner Hall.
Participants must be at least 18 years old and like seaweed salad, and cannot be allergic to seaweed, carrots or sesame seeds. Those who provide opinions of the three samples will receive $5 compensation. Interested participants can sign up to participate online. Contact the Sensory Evaluation Center at 207.581.1733 or sensory.evaluation@maine.edu for more information.
The research is led by Samuel Akomea-Frempong, a Ph.D. student in the food and nutrition sciences program, under the guidance of Jennifer Perry, Denise Skonberg and Mary Ellen Camire, who are food science faculty members in the School of Food and Agriculture. Researchers from Maine Sea Grant and UMaine’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering also are involved in the project.
The research is part of a $900,000 grant from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help the seaweed industry attract new markets for its products.