More green pigment: Crimean scientists conduct targeted selection of plankton

For proper nutrition of gourmet oysters, special diatoms are needed

Selection of diatoms – For the first time in the world, part of the sea plankton with the brightest green pigment, madder, is grown by scientists from the Karadag Scientific Station named after. T.I. Vyazemsky. The fact is that nutrients from the water in which such algae live color the gills of the oysters living in it greenish, which improves their taste and is especially appreciated by gourmets.

Photos provided by the Karadag Scientific Station named after. Vyazemsky.

Living in the waters of the Black Sea, oysters receive all their nutrients and flavor from the water in which they grow. In certain areas where the diatom Haslea is found, the oysters' gills turn greenish when they absorb its blue-green marennine pigment.

As reported by «MK» at the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, scientists from the Karadag Scientific Station – branch of the Institute of Biology of the South Seas for the first time decided to carry out selection of diatoms of the genus Haslea based on knowledge of the characteristics of their reproduction.

Photos provided by Karadag Scientific Station them. Vyazemsky.

Previously, researchers studied marennine-producing diatoms of the genus Haslea karadagensis, isolated their clones, and studied their ability to produce pigment. Now, thanks to selective methods, they want to obtain highly productive strains of algae to grow oysters in their presence.

According to the head of the laboratory of algae and microbiota, Doctor of Biological Sciences Nikolai Davidovich, the main value of pigments – Marennins lie in their antioxidant and antibacterial activity; they also color oyster tissues in a bluish-green color.

«This feature is widely used in their practice by oyster farm owners, primarily on the Atlantic coast of France, – explains the scientist. – Colored oysters kept in ponds in which the diatom Haslea ostrearia (Gaillon) Simonsen developed en masse are distinguished by better taste. In the Black Sea, Haslea karadagensis Davidovich, Gastineau & Mouget. This algae is apparently endemic to the Black Sea, since it has not been observed in other places of the World Ocean. This species is also capable of producing marennine, which is not inferior in its characteristics to the pigment of H. ostrearia and colors the gills of mollusks in a greenish color.