Bladder wrack, Knotted wrack
Ascophyllum nodosum

Family: Fucaceae

What it is like

A seaweed. It is a brown algae which keeps growing from year to year.

Where it is found

A cold climate plant. It grows attached to rocks in sheltered areas and temperate oceans.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Arctic, Atlantic, Bermuda, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Canary Islands, Europe, France, Germany, Ghana, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Mediterranean, Middle East, Netherlands, North America, North Sea, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Scandinavia, Spain, Sweden, USA, West Africa

How it is used for food

It is ground into meal and eaten. It is a major source of algin used commercially for thickening soups, emulsifying ice cream and salad dressings and as a gelling agent for puddings, jellies and other foods. It is also made into thin films for sausage casings.

About 31,000 tons are harvested each year.

Edible parts

Frond, algae, seaweed

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Grisetang, Mussel wrack, Miserarnat, Rockweed, Yellow wrack

Synonyms

Many