Aquatic foods are featured in culinary traditions around the world. Also known as “blue foods,” they include aquatic animals, plants and algae. My focus here is on sea vegetables (the preferred name for seaweed in culinary nomenclature) and a few bivalves (clams, mussels and oysters). ​Food safety is a priority for me and most consumers when buying and preparing aquatic foods. That’s why we introduced
[◼]
RecipeRiskAnalysis
.​​
[◼]
RecipeRiskAnalysis
instructs the LLM to act as the food safety manager at a high-profile restaurant. The LLM reviews recipes according to the U.S. FDA’s Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines. An important step in the HACCP process is to identify critical control points (CCPs). These are specific steps in the production or processing of food where control can be applied to prevent, eliminate or reduce food safety hazards. With
[◼]
RecipeRiskAnalysis
, the LLM reviews your recipe, and the Wolfram Language returns the recipe with the food safety risks highlighted and explained.

Sea Vegetables

Magnesium is an important mineral in muscle and nerve function, as well as bone and heart health. I knew that nuts are a good source of magnesium, but I was surprised to discover that sea vegetables contain comparable amounts:
In[]:=
seaVegNames={"dulse","kombu","nori","kelp seaweed","irishmoss seaweed"};​​seaVegInterpret=AssociationThread[seaVegNames,Map[Interpreter["Food"][#]&,seaVegNames]];​​magnesDataSeaVeg=
N[
]
;​​magnesDataSeaVegSorted=SortBy[magnesDataSeaVeg,#["RelativeMagnesiumContent"]&];​​seaVegLabels=Keys[magnesDataSeaVegSorted];​​seaVegChart=BarChart
;​​nutNames={"almonds","Brazil nuts","cashews","peanuts"};​​nutInterpret=AssociationThread[nutNames,Map[Interpreter["Food"][#]&,nutNames]];​​magnesDataNuts=
N[
]
;​​magnesDataNutSorted=SortBy[magnesDataNuts,#["RelativeMagnesiumContent"]&];​​nutLabels=Keys[magnesDataNutSorted];​​nutChart=BarChart
;​​GraphicsRow[{seaVegChart,nutChart},ImageSize->800]
Out[]=
There are three major types of seaweed: red algae, brown algae and green algae. Porphyra and Pyropia, each a genus of red algae, are used to produce nori (in Japanese cuisine) and gim (in Korean cuisine). Palmaria palmata, commonly known as dulse, also is a red algae. Dried dulse flakes can be sprinkled over salads or soups as a flavorful garnish.
In[]:=
redAlgae=Interpreter["Species"][{"porphyra","pyropia","palmaria palmata"}];​​EntityValue[redAlgae,{"Phylum","Genus"},"PropertyAssociation"]//
[◼]
NiceGrid
Out[]=
Phylum
Genus
red algae
Porphyra
red algae
Pyropia
red algae
Palmaria

Nori-Wrapped Salmon Rolls

Turning to recipes with sea vegetables, I used
[◼]
RecipeGraph
to visualize the preparation of these nori-wrapped salmon rolls:
In[]:=
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RecipeGraph
["Ingredients:2 sheets nori seaweed2 cooked salmon fillets1 avocado, sliced1 cucumber, sliced thinlyCooked sushi riceInstructions:Cook the sushi rice according to package instructions.Bake, grill or pan-sear the salmon fillets until done, then season with salt and pepper.Lay a sheet of nori on a clean surface, and spread a layer of sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a small border at the top.Place a cooked salmon fillet, avocado slices and cucumber slices in the center of the rice.Roll the nori tightly around the filling, using a bit of water to seal the edge.Use a sharp knife to slice the roll into bite-sized pieces.Serve with soy sauce, wasabi or your favorite dipping sauce."]
Out[]=

Bivalves

Bivalves are a type of mollusk that have two hinged shells. Bivalves are rich in vitamins, minerals and protein. In fact, mussels, clams and oysters contain more iron per gram than red meat. I used the Wolfram Language to illustrate this surprising fact:
In[]:=
bivalvesAndBeefNames={"clams","mussels","oysters","beef"};​​bivalvesAndBeefInterpret=AssociationThread[bivalvesAndBeefNames,(Interpreter["Food"][#1]&)/@bivalvesAndBeefNames];​​ironData=
N[
]
;​​ironDataSorted=ReverseSortBy[ironData,#["RelativeIronContent"]&];​​bivalveLabels=Keys[ironDataSorted];​​customColors=
Map[
]
;​​BarChartironDataSorted,

Out[]=

Clam Chowder

I used
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RecipeRiskAnalysis
to advise on safely preparing clam chowder with fresh clams:
In[]:=
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RecipeRiskAnalysis
["Ingredients:2 dozen fresh clams, scrubbed clean4 slices bacon, chopped2 tablespoons butter1 onion, finely chopped2 stalks celery, finely chopped2 medium potatoes, diced into small cubes3 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 cups clam juice2 cups milk1 cup heavy cream1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepperInstructions:Boil clams in water until they open (5-8 mins); discard any that don't open.Remove clams from shells, chop, and set aside. Strain cooking liquid and set aside.In a pot, cook bacon until crispy; remove bacon, leaving fat in the pot.Add butter to pot, then sauté onion and celery until softened (5-7 mins).Add potatoes, cook for 5 mins.Sprinkle flour over veggies, cook for 1-2 mins.Slowly pour in reserved clam cooking liquid, milk, and cream; simmer until potatoes are tender (15-20 mins).Add chopped clams and bacon to pot, simmer for another 5 mins. Season with the salt and pepper.Serve hot with crackers or bread."]

Oysters on the Half Shell

CITE THIS NOTEBOOK

Under the sea: nutrition and recipe risk analysis of aquatic foods​
by Gay Wilson​
Wolfram Community, STAFF PICKS, May 9, 2024
​https://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/3173360