Jellyfish in Egypt not edible: expert

CAIRO – 10 July 2017: Jellyfish species which spread out lately on the Egyptian shores and the Mediterranean are not edible, according to a member of the Suez Canal University jellyfish studying team, Tarek Tmraz.

“Jellyfish numbers are increasing not only in Egypt, but all around the world due to the death of fish species which feeds on them,” Tmraz said in statements Monday.

He added that the edible types of jellyfish are mostly in Mexico, as most of the types that have appeared along the Egyptian coast are poisonous and not edible.

Since June, Jellyfish have been seen in large numbers in the North Coast moving westward through the Mediterranean.

The kind of jellyfish that appeared on the shores was identified as Rhopilema Nomadica, which can cause painful stings. According to CABI, Rhopilema Nomadica is a medium-sized rhizostomid medusa. It has a nearly hemispherical umbrella, thickest centrally, thinning gradually towards margin.

On July 9, The Minister of Environment Khaled Fahmy said that environment experts cannot specify whether the species of jellyfish invading the North Coast are edible or not, and it is not known if they are served as food in other countries or not.

In statements to Egypt Today, Fahmy warned citizens about eating these jellyfish because the nutritional affects have not been analyzed yet. Also, the type and quantity of jellyfish must be analyzed first before deciding on whether to export them or not, clarifying that main export destinations for jellyfish are China and South Korea.