Mulberry leaves no longer just for silkworms: meet the ‘mulberry floss’ food topping

The mulberry leaf. Part of the silk production process, or a tasty snack? Soon it could be both. Food researchers in Miaoli have come up with a new topping for your favorite dishes: “mulberry floss.” Although silkworms love to munch on mulberry leaf, it has never been seen in supermarkets before. But scientists say its moreish seaweed-y flavor and health benefits make it an obvious choice.
Trays of mulberry leaves go into the oven for a low-heat roasting, and come out crisp and crunchy.
Ground up, they’re mixed with pork floss or veggie floss to make “mulberry floss.”
Lu Hsiu-ying
Miaoli Agric. Research and Extn. Station
How long to blanch and how long to roast the leaves, and at what temperature - these are the most vital skills. They depend on the product that’s coming out at the end, the nutritional value of the mulberry leaves, whether its full flavor is there, whether it will produce a seaweed-y flavor, and its crunchiness. This is the first time that mulberry leaves have been made into a food product, with really excellent skills, in Taiwan.
The unexpected seaweed-like taste of the roasted mulberry leaves was discovered by accident, as a mulberry tea was being developed by Miaoli Agricultural Research and Extension Station. After many trials, they produced this “mulberry floss,” which has that crispy, seaweed-y flavor in full force, and 2.4 times as much dietary fiber as the popular Seaweed Floss.
Of course there’s a secret ingredient too. These little red gems are goji berries, and they add a fruity flavor. Developers say the floss is low in sugar, sodium and iodine, and good for patients with thyroid hypertension, or high blood pressure, lipids or sugar. The low-heat roasting preserves the carbohydrates, polyphenols and amino acids in the leaves.
Lu Hsiu-ying
Miaoli Agric. Research and Extn. Station
We hope that as well as feeding mulberry leaves to animals, we can develop other uses. Then farmers will want to plant mulberry trees. The more land is planted with mulberry, the more the whole production of the land will be revitalized.
Mulberry was once a snack only for the silkworm, but soon it could be sitting in supermarkets across Taiwan. Ecologists say that planting more mulberry will be a boon for the land, and if it tastes this good, who can complain?

[@rameshdantuluri3021]

Yes, It is good food for both humans and animals. I studied well about mulberry and I am growing in my farm.