From an environmental problem, Azov jellyfish will turn into marmalade

(ORDO NEWS) — Recently, the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov has been suffering from invasions of jellyfish-cornerots. Local researchers from the Azovo-Chernomorsky branch of VNIRO approached the problem ingeniously and suggested using cornerots as a valuable food product.

The salinity level of the Sea of ​​Azov has been rapidly increasing recently. This becomes a threat to local natural ecosystems and fisheries. Among other things, salinization of water changes the species composition of the fauna and in the warm season causes outbreaks in the number of individual species, among which the Cornerot jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo stands out .

On the Black Sea coast, you will not surprise anyone with jellyfish, including Cornerot and Aurelia. A rare vacationer did not notice the jelly-like cornerot when swimming or on the shore, which had already died. Cornerotes are larger than aurelias and not so flat: they have a rather high umbrella and impressive tentacles. As befits members of the Cnidaria coelenterates, touching the tentacles can cause burns and ulcers – usually mild.

However, for the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, cornerots have become a real disaster. Breeding jellyfish threaten other native species that they eat or compete with.

Biologists from the local Azovo-Chernomorsky branch of VNIRO (All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography) are closely monitoring the situation and seem to have found an original solution. Estimating the total stock of the Azov cornerot at 4.5 million tons, scientists also carefully studied the chemical composition, nutritional value and possible technologies for processing jellyfish. The experience of Asian countries, where cornerots are a familiar food, was also taken into account.

VNIRO employees came to the conclusion that they were dealing with very valuable food raw materials. Of course, jellyfish are mostly water, but everything else can be called a well-diluted superfood. Cornerota are rich in valuable minerals (including iron, potassium, magnesium, selenium and others), as well as protein containing essential amino acids and therefore capable of replacing protein from other animal sources. In addition, they are rich in collagen and elastin.

Undoubtedly, such “meat” is much more useful than the pork we are used to from a meat processing plant, because in the jellyfish there is neither an excess of saturated animal fats, nor antibiotics and hormonal drugs. Also, seafood protein is easier to digest.

Biologists consider the fishing of the Azov cornerot quite real and are already developing appropriate recommendations for fishermen. They are also studying technologies for processing unusual raw materials, which, as it turns out, are also well stored. VNIRO specialists offer to make a variety of food products from jellyfish, including quite exquisite ones.

“We have begun work on obtaining salted, thermally processed semi-finished products, dried, chilled and frozen jellyfish. Recipes for food products using jellyfish semi-finished products have already been developed . These are preserves, first courses, salads, crackers, marmalade, ” the VNIRO website quotes Svetlana Chernyavskaya, Ph.D.

Not limited to an unfounded concept, the institute published an attractive photo series with these dishes. Among them are tomato soup with canned cornerot, chips and even marmalade.

—

Online:

Contact us: [email protected]

Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.