Author: Antonella Leone (CNR-ISPA, Italy)

Climate change and antropogenic pressures are majorly affecting the marine environment. The presence and accumulation of marine litter and the proliferation of gelatinous organisms are proving that. The project GoJelly addressed this problematic by proposing the use of jellyfish biomass for  high value added product development, from which also proposing it as novel food in European area.

CNR-ISPA organized a workshop on May 10 2019 for stakeholders entiteled: “Jellyfish, waste or resource? Research strategies and opportunities for local development”. The workshop was hosted at AvampostoMARE, which is part of CHIAM-IAM Bari an international organization, and of the Port-Museum of Tricase, in Tricase Porto (Lecce) a seaside village on the South Adriatic Sea, in the centre of Mediterranean Sea.

Within the 3rd GoJelly Newsletter we will present activities during the event.

Antonella Leone, CNR-ISPA researcher, as representative of the Italian partner, explained the aims and the activities of GoJelly. Jellyfish could be a new food resource both indirectly if it is used as feed in acquaculture or direcltly as human food.

Gianluca Bleve, researcher at CNR-ISPA, Italy, explained that the scientific research performed in Italy is able to overcome some issues related to jellyfish food products in a talk titled: “Jellyfish as new (western) food: needs for a new food system definition for the western market”.

Jellyfish or plastic: what on the menu of the future?

One of invited speakers was Rosalba Giugni, President of Marevivo ONG, Italy, talked about the role of Environmental NGOs against the oceans’ plastic pollution issues and its engagement as liaison between civil society and policy makers.

What about food safety?

Although jellyfish are highly appreciated as food in all over Asiatic Southeast, they represent a novel food in Europe. Annamaria Rossi, Senior Scientific Officer at European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), explained that EFSA has the role to evaluate the food safety of such possible new food. Her talk was entiteled: “Evaluation of Novel Foods: the role of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)”.

Showcooking with Fabiano Viva

At the end of the workshop a showcooking was performed with the aim to show how Italian professional chefs, such as Fabiano Viva, can create new dishes by using edible jellyfish as raw material. Jellyfish dish had a great interest and very appreciated by workshop participants.

The Slow food philosophy about the sustainability of fishery diversification and against the overfishing, was presented by Alessandro Rizzo, SlowFood Puglia.