this post was submitted on 28 Jun 2023
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Ocean Conservation & Tidalpunk

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I've been learning about the cultivation of algae and cyanobacteria, and I found this guide to be an interesting read. What do you guys think about algae as a potential sustainable food source?

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[–] cerement 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
  • there was some scaremongering many years back about viral contamination – currently Wikipedia lists warnings about mycrocystin and heavy metal contamination
  • in 2016, Soylent had to do a recall because users reported gastrointestinal issues with the algal flour
  • which is all to say
    • quality control (of water and feeding) while growing is critical (just like any other food source)
    • and some people’s guts just cannot handle algal proteins (just be cautious of any claims of being a universal food source)
[–] PondSkimmer 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the info! I'm definitely cautious of any claims of anything being a universal food source. There are certainly a lot of things my gut can't tolerate, and I think a diversity of options is the best way to go when providing for people. I think there needs to be more focus on the quality of feed, water, and soil in general in food production.

Thanks for the informative comment!