Tastes Like Bacon & Too Hot For Fish

Tastes Like Bacon & Too Hot For Fish. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Water temperatures have continued to climb over the past several weeks as temperatures have remained near the century mark. In some areas the temperatures have climbed higher than 65 to near 70 degrees and at that level it becomes dangerous for fish. A call has gone out to close some fisheries in the northwest in California, Oregon and Washington but some experts think that may cause over crowding for spawning fish.

Oregon State University researcher Chris Langdon and his team have patented a new strain of a succulent red marine algae called dulse that grows extraordinarily quickly, is packed full of protein and has an unusual trait when it is cooked. This seaweed tastes like bacon. Chuck Toombs, a faculty member in OSU's College of Business

TOOMS: We think the future for this particular kind of seaweed is astounding I think. We're going to be the first ones in the country that, we want to farm this and we want to put people into business that can farm this and we can provide a solid market for them and it could be a win-win for everybody.

A different strain of dulse is used in northern Europe as a food product and a dried form is available in health food stores. In addition to the taste dulse is an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants – and it contains up to 16 percent protein in dry weight.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.