Study to promote the attractiveness of nori

The Mikawa region of Aichi Prefecture, where a university is located, is a nori (Porphyra spp.) farming area, and nori cultivation plays an important role in the regional fisheries industry. Nutrients contained in nori are also appealing due to its high dietary fibre and folic acid content. In recent years, however, with the changing era, the term ‘nori-banare’ (less-interested in nori) is being used. In a previous study, it was reported that over 80.0 % of college students liked nori, but the health benefits were not recognized as a reason for eating it. Therefore, in this study, an initiative was created, “recipes in which nori plays a leading role,” to make university students aware of nori and encourage them to eat it. Twelve recipes were presented, and the participating students were asked to vote by secret ballot for the recipe they would like to try. As a result, a recipe arranged in the style of baklava, a baked pastry eaten in Turkey and Central Asia, was one of the top votes. The combination of nori and sweet snacks is different from the normal image of nori, however, the results showed that it is not strange for students but rather an object of interest. This study confirmed the need to know the interests of young people and to think of ways to combine their interests with nori to promote the attractiveness.