From jellyfish crisps to sea moss smoothies: are you brave enough to eat the new sea food?

Dipping my toes in the Irish Sea on a family holiday last week, I encountered something slimy, muddy-brown and decidedly squelchy. I managed to flick it off my foot with minimal squealing and thought no more of it. But, looking back, perhaps I missed a lucrative opportunity – or a tasty treat for the kids’ dinner.

For my beach find was in fact Irish moss, also known as ‘sea moss’ or ‘carrageen moss’ – the latest cult ingredient among experimental foodies, health-conscious celebrities and social media aficionados. Devotees claim the delicacy – reddish algae which grows abundantly on rocks off the coast of Britain, Ireland and North America – is not only the newest superfood but the best thing since the turmeric latte, bringing benefits for the gut, brain and heart.

Social media has gone wild over sea moss, which is sold dried, in gel form or as capsules, and has found its way on to the shelves of retailers as diverse as Selfridges (in a chocolate shake at its new Feel Good Bar) and Tesco (as a £1.20