The gastronomic use of seawater for food is increasingly successful, in two ways for cooking and for the preservation of food. Fashion of the moment? Many experts in the food industry agree to define this ingredient as “the future of culinary art”, arguing that water from the sea is the secret weapon of cooking: it enhances the flavor of fish and shellfish dishes, it gives flavor to stews and rice dishes. It is also ideal for moisturizing fresh or frozen fish before cooking.
The first country in Europe to use it was Spain, where seawater, today a must, it is used especially as a basic condiment for different fish dishes. One of the first – and now among the most widespread – is the Agua de Mar, by the Lactoduero group, internationally distributed and sold in bottles. In 2018 in Spain was launched the now popular “Ocean 52”, a healthy and sustainable drink (over 50% of the profits are intended for the protection of the oceans).
But let’s go back to our country, where this “healthy drink” has not arrived yet due to Covid. However, more and more often we find products made with seawater; for example, natural tuna fillets, by Callipo, stored in the water extracted from the Ionian Sea, or datterini tomatoes, available at Eataly and produced by Finagricola, an important fruit and vegetable company in the Piana del Sele in Campania.
Where does this precious liquid come from? Naturally, you cannot pick it up directly from the sea to avoid intoxication. In fact, it must, be microbiologically pure and totally devoid of poisons such as boron and arsenic. The seawater for food currently sold is extracted at least at 300 meters deep and it is immediately desalinated, filtered, controlled, revitalized and it needs to be purified when it is cold to prevent it from being altered by the heat.
In addition, it is extremely important that it does not get in contact with metals before being packaged. It is a great ally of our health and there are many its benefits on it: it provides the body with 96 trace elements and precious minerals such as calcium, iodine, potassium and magnesium. It reduces the amount of sodium salt/chloride normally consumed in the daily diet up to 86%. Among other things, it has also been demonstrated several advantages in bakery in fact some bakers from Campania have successfully proposed “sea bread”: flour, yeast and seawater. More flavor and more health!
Alessandra Meda
