The History of Seaweed Use - Europe
In Europe, Mediterranean seaweeds were used as fodder and as a herbal
medicine in Greek and Roman times. Greeks used seaweed as animal food as
early as 100 BC. In 46 BC, the Greek collected seaweed. In the
Mediterranean, some red algae were used as sources of dying agents and as
a medicine to treat parasitic worms since pre-Christian times. For
hundreds of years, seaweed has been used for food and fertilizer. In 45
BC, seaweed was used as fodder in times of scarcity. In Ireland, people
started collecting algae in 1200 AD. Edible seaweed has been used for a
very long time in Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland, farmers have used
seaweed for hundreds of years as mulch for soil.