Jellyfish as Food: A Narrative Review

António Raposo; Ibrahim Alasqah; Hani A Alfheeaid; Zayed D Alsharari; Hmidan A Alturki; Dele Raheem

doi:10.3390/foods11182773

Jellyfish as Food: A Narrative Review

Foods. 2022 Sep 8;11(18):2773. doi: 10.3390/foods11182773.

Authors

António Raposo¹, Ibrahim Alasqah², Hani A Alfheeaid³, Zayed D Alsharari⁴, Hmidan A Alturki⁵, Dele Raheem⁶

Affiliations

¹ CBIOS (Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies), Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
² Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Qassim University, Al Bukairiyah 52741, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Tabuk University, P.O. Box 741, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ General Directorate for Funds & Grants. King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology, P.O. Box 6086, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM), Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland.

Abstract

Studies toward a sustainable future conducted by international organizations uniformly agree about having to change some of our present consumer behaviors. Regarding food, suggestions include eating locally farmed, less industrialized and renewable food to promote health and circularity, and limiting waste. Jellyfish are frequently sorted and discarded after being caught with fish in fishing nets and gear. In contrast, we propose utilizing this by-catch as food. This review discusses the economic value and sustainability of jellyfish, the technologies used to prepare them for human consumption, their nutritional profile and health impacts and, finally, consumer acceptability and sensory evaluation of jellyfish food products. This discussion is critical for promoting jellyfish as an important aquatic resource to support blue and circular economies.

Keywords: food safety; food security; food technology; health; jellyfish; nutrition; sensory evaluation; sustainability.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education and Qassim University, Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project number (QU-IF-01-02-28482).