Nori
Nori is the red seaweed Pyropia, long classified as Porphyra, mainly the farmed species Pyropia yezoensis and Pyropia tenera. It is grown on nets in coastal waters of Japan, Korea and China, harvested, washed, chopped and dried into thin sheets, and also sold as flakes and powder. Sheets are sold raw or roasted, and seasoned nori is a separate finished product.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Dried pressed sheets, raw or roasted, graded by color, gloss and thickness.
Chopped or crumbled nori for seasonings, toppings and furikake-style blends.
Milled nori for seasonings, snacks and capsules.
Nori from farms certified under an organic aquaculture or seaweed standard, offered by a smaller number of suppliers.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Keep nori in moisture-proof, light-blocking packaging, ideally with a desiccant, in a cool, dry place; it picks up moisture fast and fades in light. Once opened, reseal promptly. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with moisture and color rechecked on older stock.
Color grade, iodine and metal content change with farming area and harvest round, so record the farm region, harvest season and test results for each lot and rotate stock first-expired, first-out.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 184.1121 affirms red algae, including Porphyra tenera and several other Porphyra species, as GRAS for use in spices, seasonings and flavorings at levels not exceeding current good manufacturing practice.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)The same section requires red algae to meet the Food Chemicals Codex kelp specification, except for a maximum iodine level of 0.05 percent and a loss on drying of not more than 20 percent.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Pyropia tenera (POL-NF-08702), which lists Porphyra tenera as a synonym, lists the whole alga as not novel in food.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)The EU entry for Neopyropia yezoensis (POL-NF-09704), which lists Porphyra yezoensis and Pyropia yezoensis as synonyms, also lists the whole alga as not novel in food.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Distributor · Eugene, OR
Mountain Rose Herbs is an Oregon seller of organic and wild-harvested bulk herbs, spices, mushrooms and seaweeds, with a wholesale program for businesses alongside its retail shop.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include sheets, flakes, powder and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect identity, iodine, heavy metals, moisture, microbiology and foreign matter, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Keep nori in moisture-proof, light-blocking packaging, ideally with a desiccant, in a cool, dry place; it picks up moisture fast and fades in light. Once opened, reseal promptly. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with moisture and color rechecked on older stock.
21 CFR 184.1121 affirms red algae, including Porphyra tenera and several other Porphyra species, as GRAS for use in spices, seasonings and flavorings at levels not exceeding current good manufacturing practice. The same section requires red algae to meet the Food Chemicals Codex kelp specification, except for a maximum iodine level of 0.05 percent and a loss on drying of not more than 20 percent. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Pyropia tenera (POL-NF-08702), which lists Porphyra tenera as a synonym, lists the whole alga as not novel in food. The EU entry for Neopyropia yezoensis (POL-NF-09704), which lists Porphyra yezoensis and Pyropia yezoensis as synonyms, also lists the whole alga as not novel in food.
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