We are equal parts off-the-wall excited and completely annoyed about this development in food magic – and we’re only annoyed because it could have happened way sooner. Researchers at Oregon State University have created a strain of dulse seaweed that tastes – and even kind of looks – like bacon. Surprisingly, it’s been around for some 15 years. Researchers at OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, led by Chris Langdon, have been growing it as a superfood for farmed abalone. Yep, abalone have been eating bacon-flavored sea algae for years while you had to settle for the dirt-flavored kind.

Dulse is pretty highly valued in the health food world thanks to its high concentration of vitamins and minerals and high fiber content. It’s often eaten as a snack in Europe, but in the U.S. you’re most likely to find it in a dried, ground-up version that’s used as a culinary seasoning. We were just kidding about it tasting like dirt – it actually has a very pleasant smoky, salty flavor.

Plus, get this – dulse is actually said to have twice the nutritional value of kale (which really and truly does taste like dirt-flavored sheets of dirt). But the OSU researchers have managed to make dulse taste like a really, really, really unhealthy food despite all of its health benefits. It grows extremely quickly in tanks and contains up to 16 percent protein in dry weight. Apparently, the researcher responsible for this strain didn’t even think to investigate it as a food for humans.

That revelation only came after OSU College of Business faculty member Chuck Toombs stopped by the lab looking for a new project for his students. He saw the translucent red marine algae growing in tanks and took it to the school’s Food Innovation Center for ideas. The students came up with some great ideas, but Langdon seems partial to simply frying strips of the seaweed, which he says tastes very strongly of bacon. Langdon and OSU have patented the strain and are looking at ways to market not only the product, but the cultivation process itself. Pig-friendly bacon plants, here we come!

The post Holy Grail of Food Science: This Seaweed Tastes Like Bacon first appeared on Gajitz.

Even if you’re adept at counting the calories in your food, tracking the nutritional information of beverages can be a little trickier. Mark One and Fuseproject have teamed up to create a cup that’s not only smart enough to tell you what you’re drinking – it can analyze its contents down to the calories, grams of sugar, and amount of caffeine inside.

The Vessyl is a brilliant device that perfectly melds high technology, eye-pleasing design, and ease of use. It looks a lot like a regular cup, but with a few subtle differences. The exterior is faceted, and these facets indicate where your consumption information will be displayed. The body is sturdy but not so heavy that it feels like a burden to carry around.

The lid is a beautiful design accomplishment on its own. It’s spill-proof and seamlessly covers the Vessyl’s opening when you need it to. When you want to take a sip, it smoothly slides out of the way with nothing more than a nudge from your thumb. The carefully designed lid lets you take the Vessyl anywhere without worrying about drips and spills.

When you fill up the Vessyl and then tip it slightly, the display shows you what is inside and gives basic information like calories, sugar, sodium, and protein content. The Vessyl app gives even more detailed information – seemingly impossible information, in fact. It can tell you whether you’re drinking Coke or Pepsi, whether there’s ice in your drink, and what your hydration level is at for the day (and where it should be).

Besides being a really cool gadget that can tell you how much caffeine is really in your cup of coffee, the Vessyl can play a huge role in improving your overall health. The app will keep track of how many calories you drink in a day (a number that is typically far higher than most people realize), and how hydrated you are. The app interacts with most popular fitness trackers and can integrate your fluid consumption into your picture of overall health.

You’ve only got to charge the Vessyl every 5-7 days or so, and it charges on a small saucer-like pad. The only wire involved is the micro-USB cable that attaches the charging coaster to a power source. The special non-stick glass-coated interior means that you’ll never have to try to reach in to scrub the very bottom of the cup, and you can even stick it in the fridge if you want to take a protein shake to work to drink later. No one cup can do everything, though, so the Vessyl does have one weakness: you can’t put it in the microwave. But since it has excellent insulation to keep your warm drinks warm, that shouldn’t be a problem in the first place.

The post Genius Cup Knows + Tracks Exactly What You’re Drinking first appeared on Gajitz.

Soon the crunch of a cricket between your teeth will be as unmistakable as that of a potato chip. If this thought churns your stomach, consider the ever-snowballing global food crisis. The Lepsis hopes to reduce this problem.

The Lepsis is a terrarium that breeds edible insects right in your own home. It contains everything needed to process grasshoppers, from growing to preparing them for edibility. Designer Mansour Ourasanah developed the Lepsis with the help of KitchenAid. Insects make an excellent food source thanks to their protein content and the fact that they reproduce quickly and in great numbers, and there is a seemingly infinite variety of them.

Ourasanah took notice of a recent UN report that recommends the consumption of insects on a more global scale. Regional and international stigmas exist regarding the consumption of insects as a source of protein, even though 80% of the world already does so. Ourasanah hopes introducing the Lepsis to urban environments will help break these stigmas. “In order to move toward a sustainable future, we must do away with our culinary hangups and redefine the paradigm of food,” he says.

The post Can This Home Grasshopper Grower Ease Food Shortages? first appeared on Gajitz.