Danish scientists develop method to make jellyfish crisps

University of Southern Denmark (USD) scientists have discovered a method to turn jellyfish into a salty snack akin to potato crisps.

The study aimed to make jellyfish more appealing to the western palate. Jellyfish is very popular in Asian countries, typically marinated in salt and potassium alum to create a pickle-like delicacy. To those not accustomed to jellyfish, the texture may be described as ‘slimy’ and lacking taste.

Dried jellyfish is nonetheless a very nutritious and sustainable source of protein, with very few carbohydrates and fats. According to a HealthGuidance article on jellyfish nutrition, the calcium-binding proteins in jellyfish can help with mental disorders such as memory loss and cognitive decline, and the collagen they contain helps to prevent arthritis and aging. Jellyfish are also a good source of vitamin B12, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and selenium.

The main problem with the concept is how to market jellyfish crisps for global consumption. Altering the texture could be one solution to make jellyfish more appealing to inexperienced audiences.

“When we eat, we need to be stimulated in many ways with our senses. And one of the sense we like to be stimulated is our touch sensation in our mouth,”​said USD postdoctoral fellow Mathias P. Clausen.

“If we eat a potato chip we need it to be crispy and not soft, even though the taste…is the same, but just the fact that it’s soft means that it’s not appealing to us.”​

The ethanol preservation method

The scientists first attempted to identify why the collagen in a jellyfish’s body turns from soft to crunchy during the preservation method using salt and potassium alum.

They then found that submerging the moon jellyfish in a 96% ethanol solution quickly accelerated preservation. Over the course of 40 days, the researchers discovered that the jellyfish left in ethanol became much lighter and turned paper thin like a crisp.

A second experiment found that jellyfish submerged in chilled ethanol for three days, then left overnight at room temperature, exhibited the same crunchy texture as the traditional method after 34 days including 14 days of drying time. The ethanol method was therefore around 90% quicker than traditional preservation techniques while offering the same result.

“By transferring the alcohol, we can basically remove all of the water in the jellyfish and then that means we have only the dry matter left,”​ said Clausen.

“This turns out to have a crispy structure and forms a very dense network.”​

The ethanol method  eliminates the need to deep-fry the snack, keeping the calorie count low, and therefore a healthier alternative to potato crisps.

With diminishing fish stocks and climate change providing better conditions for jellyfish to breed, developing a more appealing way to consume jellyfish makes sense.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) supported the idea, highlighting that jellyfish levels are increasing exponentially, while fish stocks have decreased in recent times.