The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have released a report that reviews the current available information about the food safety of seaweed, both harvested from the wild and produced through aquaculture. The Report of the Expert Meeting on Food Safety for Seaweed—Current Status and Future Perspectiveswas compiled during a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Seaweed Safety in October 2021.
The report raises a concern with the limited existing data on seaweed food safety, suggesting that the commodity may carry certain chemical, microbiological, physical, and allergen risks. The report recommends several actions to increase the safety of seaweed consumption while collecting more information about the product, aiming to support the development of appropriate Codex Alimentarius guidelines and regional regulations.