Fake Caviar of a Different Ilk

One surprising item on the IBSS floor actually wasn’t actually a fish product. It was seaweed made to look like caviar (click picture to see detail). The different rainbow-colored flavors were presented next to each other — ginger, chili, wasabi, balsamic, salmon roe, and yellow, black, orange caviar.

Company representatives told me that Cavi-Art, made accidentally in an experiment by marine biologist Jens Møller and his sons, has been in Europe for several years, but just arrived in the US this fall. They said it can be eaten by itself or cooked in other foods.

With a three month, unrefrigerated shelf life, it seems like an interesting alternative for nonfish eaters who want the experience of eating seafood. The company told me that it’s showcasing a fruit alternative next month in Brussels, which will partner with a yogurt company in Europe. Can seaweed become the new soy?