Seaweed on the menu?

Move over potato chips, seaweed chips might be coming to a pub near you.

Victorian researchers are investigating the potential to eat Australian native seaweeds.

Deakin University researcher Dr Alecia Bellgrove says she wants to find out which Australian seaweeds taste the best.

"When I was in Korea, in the supermarket there was a whole display of all these different seaweed chips," she said.

"They are basically using different types of seaweed, frying them and coating them in different sorts of spices and they are really fantastic beer snacks.

"They are much better for you than your normal chips, because they don't actually absorb the oil like a potato does."

Seaweed can basically be used as a vegetable; you can put it in soups, salads and even pickle it.

According to Dr Bellgrove, Australian seaweed is an untapped resource.

In fact Australia has the most diverse range of seaweeds in the world.

Seaweed is high in antioxidants and omega three fats and is a source of protein.

Dr Bellgrove says it makes sense to look into which Australian seaweeds taste the best and are the best for us.

"There are very few species of seaweed that actually have natural toxins," she said.

"They're not like eating mushrooms. We can pretty much go out there and try anything."

Deakin University is using an alternative funding method to attract money for the research.

They are attempting to crowd fund the initial stages of the project, which basically means they're asking community members to put money towards the research.

Dr Bellgrove says it's a first.

"It's an interesting model, it's never been done before, but I've been overwhelmed by the public interest and public support for our project. It's really fantastic."

Source: ABC News, 4 June 2013