Objectives
- Effect of post-harvest storage temperature on seaweed microbial load (Jess Vorse)
- Effect of drying process on seaweed microbial load (Jess Vorse)
- Evaluate the range of temperatures seaweed is exposed to from time of harvest to initial processing (Hannah Korper)
- Develop data-driven and industry-informed guidelines for safe post-harvest handling and processing of seaweed (Jess Vorse)
Methods
Objective 1 Methods
Objective 2 Methods
Objective 3 Methods
- Supplies and trains partner farmers in the deployment of wireless temperature loggers
- Loggers are deployed into the center of piles of seaweed at time of harvest
- Loggers are retrieved during first stage of processing
- Data from the loggers is downloaded and analyzed to track the range of temperatures seaweed was exposed to
Objective 4: How has input from industry members already shaped this project?
In February of 2020 an advisory panel of industry members, regulators and field experts gathered to review the proposed methods for this project. This meeting was open to the public and a recording can be provided by request to Carrie Byron (cbyron@une.edu). During that meeting the treatment temperatures under Objective 1 were altered to be those most relevant to processors. Additionally, our team was informed by members of industry that oven drying (one of three original proposed drying methods) is not a practical means of seaweed processing so it was cut from our experimental treatments.
In March of 2021 our team had an incredibly informative meeting with Seraphina Erhart (Maine Coast Sea Vegetables). She gave us valuable insight into the methods and standards used currently by herself and industry partners to dry their raw seaweed products. This will allow us to dry seaweed for our drying trials in a way that mimics current industry practice, making our results as relevant and applicable as possible.
We are incredibly grateful for all of the knowledge industry members have given us to improve our experimental designs. We are looking forward to further fostering these relationships as we continue to develop and carry out this project!