“Like a potato to be browned, you throw it in a hot frying pan for five minutes and you have a crispy result on the outside and melting on the inside.” In the aisles of the agricultural show, on the stand of the Côtes-d’Armor association “Thank you algae”, the Zalg duo presents their dice of algae. After launching a year ago, the two entrepreneurs from Vannes intend to develop a market that is still not very present in Brittany. However, the region is the leading producer of seaweed in France.
Often used in slimming diets
“There is a real thrill about seaweed. We see them being worked on more and more, especially by chefs, or in shows like Top Chef. Japanese women consume up to eight kg of it per year and per person. In France , we are still in its infancy while we have a reserve, a biomass that is available under our feet!”, explains Tanguy Gestin, co-founder of Zalg.
– Maxim Glorious
As an accompaniment to meat, fish or in a pan-fried vegetable, diced seaweed to be cooked is very good for health according to the two Vannetais. “They are rich in iodine, trace elements and vitamins. Another advantage of seaweed is that it provides a feeling of satiety which comes very quickly and is often used in slimming diets”adds Vincent Lacaze, the other half of Zalg.
Soon in slices in burgers?
It will be necessary to wait until the end of 2022 to find the “Io’Dé” seaweed dice in stores, but the two entrepreneurs are already working with restaurants around Vannes. “We have a lot of thoughts, on other applications, in patties, fairly thin slices that could be in burgers, in sandwiches.”
– Maxim Glorious
Zalg is one of the many projects supported by the “Merci les agères” association, whose headquarters are located in Saint-Étienne-du-Gué-de-l’Isle, south of Loudéac, on the border between the Côtes -d’Armor and Morbihan. She defends the use of seaweed on the plate, but also as dietary supplement for farm animals. “It’s preventive rather than curative”, underlines Edmond Martin, who holds with his brother Le Clos du Moulin in Mauron, north of Ploërmel in Morbihan.
To strengthen the immune defenses of animals
This Breton poultry breeder uses the certified products by the association and by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRA) for three years. “The supply of seaweed improves the immune defenses of poultry so that they no longer use antibioticsexplains Edmond Martin. When they are chicks, we use liquid products and from the fifth and sixth week, it is in powder form, in order to strengthen the immune defenses and give them good health.”
– Thanks seaweed