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Fat choy
Nostoc flagelliforme under a microscope
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Cyanobacteria
Class:	Cyanophyceae
Order:	Nostocales
Family:	Nostocaceae
Genus:	Nostoc
Species:	N. flagelliforme
Binomial name
Nostoc flagelliforme Harv. ex Molinari, Calvo-Pérez & Guiry, 2016
Synonyms
Nematonostoc flagelliforme (Bornet & Flahault) Nylander ex Elenkin 1934 Nostoc commune var. flagelliforme Bornet & Flahault, 1886

Fat choy
Traditional Chinese	髮菜
Simplified Chinese	发菜
Literal meaning	"hair vegetable"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin fàcài IPA Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization faat choi Jyutping faat3 coi3
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	頭毛菜
Transcriptions Southern Min Hokkien POJ thâu-mn̂g-chhài

Fat choy (traditional Chinese: 髮菜; simplified Chinese: 发菜; pinyin: fàcài; Jyutping: faat³ coi³; Nostoc flagelliforme) is a terrestrial cyanobacterium (a type of photosynthetic bacteria) that is used as a vegetable in Chinese cuisine. When dried, the product has the appearance of black hair. For that reason, its name in Chinese means "hair vegetable". When soaked, fat choy has a soft texture which is like very fine vermicelli.

Production

Fat choy grows on the ground in the Gobi Desert and the Qinghai Plateau. Over-harvesting on the Mongolian steppes has furthered erosion and desertification in those areas. The Chinese government has limited its harvesting, which has caused its price to increase.

Commercially available fat choy has been found to be adulterated with strands of a non-cellular starchy material, with other additives and dyes. Real fat choy is dark green in color, while the counterfeit fat choy appears black.

Use

China

Its name in Cantonese sound the same as a Cantonese phrase meaning "struck it rich" (though the second syllable, coi, has a different tone) -- this is found, for example, in the Cantonese saying, "Gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4" (恭喜發財, meaning "wishing you prosperity"), often proclaimed during Chinese New Year. Therefore, it is a popular ingredient for the Chinese New Year, like in the reunion dinner. It is enjoyed as an alternative to cellophane noodles. It is mostly used in Cantonese cuisine and Buddhist cuisine. It is sometimes used as a hot pot ingredient.

Due to its high price, fat choy is considered a luxury food, and only used in limited occasions. It is not eaten as a staple.

Vietnam

Fat choy is also used in Vietnamese cuisine. It is called tóc tiên or tóc thiêng (literally "angel's hair") in Vietnamese.

Health effects

N. flagelliforme has no nutritional value, and also contains beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a toxic amino acid that could affect the normal functions of nerve cells and is linked to degenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and dementia. Not all real fat choy samples contains BMAA according to a 2009 study, with the maximum concentration being 658.5 ng/g. Imitation fat choy does not contain BMAA.

Across a 28-day duration, laboratory rats fed N. flagelliforme and the control group did not exhibit significant differences in any toxicological parameters.

The algae and its extracts reduce the inflammatory action of white blood cells, specifically macrophages and splenocytes, in vitro.

References

1. ^ Calvo-Pérez, Juan Diego; Molinari-Novoa, Eduardo A.; Guiry, Michael D. (23 March 2016). "Validation of Nostoc flagelliforme (Nostocaceae, Cyanobacteria)" (PDF). Notulae Algarum (2): 1–2. ISSN 2009-8987. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
2. ^ "The standard.com.hk". Archived from the original on November 22, 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
3. "Waynesword". Archived from the original on 2004-10-10. Retrieved 2004-11-07.
4. ^ Roney, BR; Renhui, L; Banack, SA; Murch, S; Honegger, R; Cox, PA (2009). "Consumption of fa cai Nostoc soup: a potential for BMAA exposure from Nostoc cyanobacteria in China?". Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. 10 (Suppl 2): 44–9. doi:10.3109/17482960903273031. PMID 19929731. S2CID 2893117.
5. The standard.com.hk. Mimi Lau, January 30, 2007, Ban sought on Lunar delicacy Archived November 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
6. Takenaka 1998.
7. Ku, Lee (2013). "Edible blue-green algae reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting NF-κB pathway in macrophages and splenocytes". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects. 1830 (4): 2981–2988. doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2013.01.018. PMC 3594481. PMID 23357040.

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (September 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

• But, Paul Pui-Hay; Cheng, Ling; Chan, Pui Kwan; Lau, David Tai-Wai; But, Joyce Wing-Hin (2002). "Nostoc flagelliforme and faked items retailed in Hong Kong". Journal of Applied Phycology. 14 (2): 143–145. doi:10.1023/a:1019518329032. ISSN 0921-8971. S2CID 6195505.
• Takenaka, H.; Yamaguchi, Y.; Sakaki, S.; Watarai, K.; Tanaka, N.; Hori, M.; Seki, H.; Tsuchida, M.; Yamada, A.; Nishimori, T.; Morinaga, T. (1 December 1998). "Safety evaluation of Nostoc flagelliforme (nostocales, Cyanophyceae) as a potential food". Food and Chemical Toxicology (United Kingdom). 36 (12): 1073–1077. doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(98)00089-1. ISSN 0278-6915. PMID 9862649. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.

External links

• "Cyanobacteria Photos". waynesword.palomar.edu. Archived from the original on 10 October 2004. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
• "food for thought". sg.bcmagazine.net. 1 February 2004. Archived from the original on 1 February 2004. Retrieved 22 October 2018.

• Food
• China

• Vegetables
• Chinese New Year foods
• Nostocaceae