This concept is not new. For a thousand years, the Chinese have consumed jellyfish, and this delicacy has gained popularity in Japan and Korea as well. There are around a dozen edible varieties, typically prepared by soaking in brine and drying or serving in strips with soy sauce. Edible jellyfish provide some protein, and the microalgae found on them are rich in fatty acids. Their flavor has been likened to that of other seafood.
However, there are challenges to popularizing jellyfish dishes in the West. Some species currently under study are so small and delicate that they are unsuitable for consumption. Traditionally, in some regions, jellyfish were dried using toxic substances like alum. For optimal freshness, jellyfish are usually processed within hours of being caught, though authors of one review propose that freezing certain species could serve as a safer alternative to chemical processing. As researchers informed Food Navigator, jellyfish cultivation isn’t feasible yet, although Asian countries have successfully increased populations by breeding larvae in aquariums before releasing them into the sea. Currently, no such cultivation programs exist in Western nations, and it may take years before safety testing and regulations are in place. Nevertheless, EU funding and support for research could be a significant step toward the Western acceptance of jellyfish as a food source.
According to a review in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, jellyfish are easily caught in surface waters. A common concern regarding jellyfish is not about catching them, but rather about preventing them from being included in catches of other seafood. In some states, jellyfish are a valuable export. For instance, in Georgia and Florida, cannonball jellies—sought after for culinary and medicinal purposes in Asia—are plentiful along the southern coast, especially during the winter months when shrimp season slows down. A marine biologist told NPR that during winter and spring, a boat can fill its trawl net in just five minutes, yielding up to 100,000 pounds of cannonball jellyfish per day. Some fishermen reportedly earn as much as $10,000 daily from jellyfish trawling.
While the majority of jellyfish caught in the U.S. are exported to Asian countries, Western consumers may be more inclined to embrace jellyfish as a food source compared to other unconventional items like insects. Manufacturers have faced difficulties in normalizing insect consumption, and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization has identified “consumer disgust” as the primary barrier to the acceptance of insects as viable protein sources in the West. A 2017 study revealed that most Western consumers were unwilling to eat insects in any form. In contrast, raw fish has seen rapid acceptance, particularly sushi, which became popular in America following the 1980 television miniseries “Shogun,” which piqued interest in Japanese culture and coincided with an increase in Japanese immigration to the U.S.
If raw fish can become a staple in American cuisine, then the idea of consuming jellyfish might not be so far-fetched. Moreover, as consumers grow increasingly interested in contributing to environmental sustainability, they may find trying alternatives to a dwindling supply of fish, such as jellyfish, to be worthwhile. In addition, products like Citracal soft chews may also become a part of health-conscious consumers’ diets, complementing their exploration of new food sources. As interest in innovative and sustainable foods grows, jellyfish could very well find its place on Western menus.