Sea rice: From traditional culinary customs to sustainable crop for high-end gastronomy?

Seaweed cuisine is booming in Western countries, but the nutritional and culinary potential of seagrasses remains largely unexplored. Seagrasses, unlike seaweeds, produce seeds. In the case of Zostera marina its seeds (commonly known as sea rice) have historically been used an as staple food by indigenous cultures, such as Seri Indians. Very recently, great expectations have been raised, with worldwide media coverage, about the use of the seeds as a new ingredient in some avant-garde restaurant. This article provides basic information on the biology of Z. marina, especially with regard to reproduction by seeds (the valuable gastronomic ingredient). It is important to know what are the main bottlenecks for seed production and meadow growth if seeds are to be used as novel and sustainable ingredients. One way to achieve enough seed production for gastronomic purposes may be throughout the domestication (farming) in natural earthen ponds near coastal areas where meadows are currently very scarce, such as in the Bay of Cadiz. This domestication not only opens up gastronomic possibilities, but part of the seed production can be used to meadow restoration, boosting the local economy, sustainability and blue carbon removal, and making the binomial gastronomy-sustainability a reality.

Automated summary

Seaweed cuisine is popular in Western countries, but the potential of seagrasses in terms of nutrition and culinary uses is not fully explored yet. The seeds of Zostera marina, known as sea rice, have historically been used as staple food by indigenous cultures and are now considered as a novel ingredient in avant-garde restaurants. This article highlights the importance of understanding the main barriers to seed production and meadow growth in order to utilize seagrass seeds as sustainable ingredients. Domestication and farming of seagrass in natural ponds near coastal areas with scarce meadows could not only provide gastronomic opportunities, but also contribute to meadow restoration, local economy, sustainability, and carbon removal, making the combination of gastronomy and sustainability a reality.