Wakame

The journey from Wakame seaweed to your dinner plate is a complex process that involves multiple steps, each of which is crucial to ensuring the seaweed is safe and delicious to consume. To better understand what goes into the creation and delivery of Wakame seaweed to its final destination, it is helpful to learn more about the components of Wakame, how it is created and processed, and how it makes its way to your plate.

What is Wakame?

Wakame is a type of edible seaweed found in the oceans around Japan and Korea. It is often sold fresh, frozen, or dried and stored in a jar with salted water. Wakame has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture and is often used as an additive to salad, soups, and other dishes.

Wakame is a dark green seaweed that belongs to the genus Undaria. It is made up of several species of marine algae, including Undaria pinnatifida, Undaria arborescens, and Undaria spp. Wakame consists of slender, branched fronds with flat blades that range from about 5 to 15 centimeters in length. The fronds have a distinct black stripe along their centers and are divided into two halves that narrow toward their tips.

Wakame is a type of brown seaweed, but its specific species is usually identified as a red seaweed. Wakame was traditionally collected by hand and still is in some areas. As Wakame is collected, it undergoes various stages of transformation and becomes edible when rinsed, chopped, and boiled with soy sauce.

Harvesting and Processing Wakame

Wakame grows in the shallow waters of coastal Japan and is harvested primarily as a food source. In some regions, Wakame is still harvested by hand, but it is also often cultivated with aquaculture methods. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in Wakame cultivation as a way to help sustain local fisheries while providing a food source.

When Wakame is harvested, it is usually gathered from along rocks, seawalls, or the bottom of the ocean where it has been growing. It is generally collected in the spring and summer months, when the seaweed are in their prime state for harvesting. Once harvested, Wakame is quickly washed in clean saltwater to remove any pollutants.

Wakame is transported from the harvesting site to processing facilities, where further treatments are done to clean and preserve it for consumption. First, the seaweed is cut, graded, and sorted for quality. Next, it is steeped in a brine solution for 1-3 days to extract excess fluids and reduce salinity. After this step, Wakame is comprehensively washed and dried in a controlled environment.

Once the seaweed has been thoroughly dried, it is stored and ready to be packaged. Wakame is typically sold as either crushed or flaked, so it must first be cut and sliced into smaller pieces, depending on the desired result. These pieces are then air-dried and sometimes mixed with a seasoning or spice blend before being packaged. The final packaged product can be stored in the dry and cool environment for up to a few months without degrading its freshness or quality.

Getting Wakame to Your Plate

The end of Wakame’s journey is the last stage of a complex process that ensures the seaweed remains safe and delicious once it reaches your plate. To get there, Wakame must first be transported from the processing facility to vendors who can then sell it to retailers. Depending on the region, Wakame can be delivered either directly to retailers by the processor or by a wholesaler who is responsible for the distribution and sale of various products.

From the retailers, Wakame can finally make its way to the consumer either in brick-and-mortar stores or through online-shopping platforms. If you purchase Wakame in a grocery store, you will likely find a variety of types, such as canned or jarred, frozen, or dried Wakame. To ensure that it remains fresh and flavorful, Wakame should ideally be cooked immediately after purchasing.

Using Wakame At Home

Once Wakame has safely arrived at your doorstep, it is time to get cooking! In terms of preparation, Wakame is incredibly versatile, lending itself to both hot and cold dishes. Wakame can be used in soups, salads, wraps, stir-fries, and more. It can also be eaten on its own with a light seasoning of soy sauce, vinegar, or sesame oil, or rehydrated and added to cold dishes like seaweed salad.

When cooking with Wakame, it is important to remember that it should always be washed and rehydrated first. To rehydrate Wakame, submerge it in cold water for several minutes until it has softened and regained its color and texture. Once rehydrated, make sure to rinse the seaweed to remove any excess salt or dirt.

Finally, adding Wakame to your dishes is an easy way to boost flavor and nutrition! Wakame is naturally high in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to reduce inflammation and increase heart health. It also serves as a great replacement for salt, as it provides a mild, salty flavor to dishes. Additionally, Wakame is naturally low in calories and fat, making it a great addition to any diet.

Conclusion

From the oceans to your plate—the journey of Wakame takes a number of diverse steps to ensure the seaweed remains safe and delicious. This complex process involves harvesting, processing, packaging, and transportation to make certain that Wakame is delivered to retailers and consumers in its most optimal form. Following these steps, adding Wakame to your meals is not only quick and easy, but also provides a unique flavor and nutritional benefits!