When does Sea Moss Gel Expire? How to keep it Fresh

Does Sea Moss Gel Expire? Yes, it does. When you make a batch of Sea moss Gel using our dried Sea Moss you’ll typically get from 2 to 3 weeks out of your gel, from a shelf life perspective. As a natural product made from organic matter (seaweed, a marine vegetable) it is going to deteriorate over time. Let’s take a look at how you can help keep your Sea Moss Gel fresher for longer.

If you have bought Sea Moss Gel online, it may last longer depending on how it has been made and what has been added to it.

Why Does Sea Moss Gel Expire?

Being made from dried seaweed, if you are only using Sea Moss that you have soaked in fresh water (or cooked) before blending, you’ll get a limited life out of it.

You could add chemicals to preserve it, and some companies do this to keep their gel usable for longer. We would rather you could make you own gel so you know exactly what goes in to it.

Keeping your Sea Moss Gel fresher for longer is dependent upon a range of factors. Some of these you’ve got complete control over. They are really simple things like; is your Sea Moss Gel:

  • Refrigerated
  • Stored in a clean, sealed jar or container
  • Taken out of the jar or container with clean utensils
  • Not exposed to cross-contamination while being stored or used 1
  • Not exposed to curious dipping fingers or other things, and
  • Anything else that would be reasonably expected to cause a food product to go bad sooner than it otherwise should

When made from a fresh batch of dried Sea Moss, you can expect to get the full value from one batch of gel to the next. This is provided you treat your gel like any other perishable food.

After all, it’s made from a natural, living thing, and it will degrade with time, like any other vegetable.

Does Dried Sea Moss Expire?

Yes, dried Sea Moss will expire. Our dried Sea Moss expires normally after about one year, if the packet hasn’t been opened. We ensure that our Team follow strict health and food handling protocols from the harvesting stages through to preparing your Sea Moss for sale.

We take all of the steps you would expect us to, like wearing hair nets, gloves and face covers. We work in sterile environments that are food grade, and we ensure that your Sea Moss is packaged in new bags, which are sealed to ensure the quality.

Once you’ve broken the seal, you should be able to get around 3 months shelf life, depending upon how you are storing your dried Sea Moss.

Storing your dried Sea Moss in a damp and warm place will guarantee that it will deteriorate quickly. So choose somewhere cool and dry.

golden sea moss on a timber table top with text overlay saying 'make your own magic with sea moss'
Sea Moss has never been so good before! Find this image on Instagram.

Providing High Quality Sea Moss

Behind the scenes, we work with our Farmers to plan the harvest of your Sea Moss during the best times of the year. It is carefully sun dried it to help preserve the goodness for the longest time possible.

We make sure that our Sea Moss is free from impurities and as clean as nature can allow it to be.

We have our Sea Moss dried in the sun to a range of moisture content levels. Typically this is between 10% moisture content for the drier Sea Moss, and 20% moisture content for the wetter Sea Moss.

The moisture content can play a big part in the length of the shelf life. The wetter the Sea Moss is when it is packaged, typically the shorter the shelf life.

The other factor to consider with the shelf life, or when your Sea Moss will expire is dependent on how you handle it once you have opened it.

If you only take out what you need, and don’t handle the rest too much, you’ll keep it fresher for longer. The more you handle it and put it back in the bag, the shorter its life will be.

When it comes to prolonging the life of your Sea Moss gel, the tips listed in this article will help. But, remember, the answer to the question ‘Does Sea Moss Gel Expire?’ in the end is a very clear yes.

  1. “What is cross contamination?” FSIC Staff, Last checked 21 February 2024 [Food Safety Information Council] [Archive] ↩︎

Last Updated on 4 weeks by D&C Editorial Team

96 thoughts on “When does Sea Moss Gel Expire? How to keep it Fresh”

  1. I bought a bag of sea moss gel and forgot to take it out of the bag and refrigerate. I didn’t remember until the next day. Is it okay to use?

    • Hello Cecilia,

      Thank you for your question. I’ve left out homemade sea moss gel out of the refrigerator for a few days and it’s been fine. Any longer than about 2 to 3 days and it can start to smell a bit funny. This is just the result of it being a natural product, which is bound to go bad after a while, like any other fruit or vegetable.

      As far as your question goes, it should be fine as it sounds like it has only been out of the refrigerator for a day or so. Given that you bought this as a bag of sea moss gel (from someone else) there are a couple of things to keep in mind; 1) we don’t sell sea moss gel as a finished product. We only sell dried sea moss which you can then make your own gel from. And 2) I can’t speak for how the gel you have bought was made, or the ingredients that it may contain.

      My advice would be to have a smell of the gel. If it doesn’t smell rancid then it should be ok to move on to the next test that I would do. Next, I would use a teaspoon and take a small amount of the gel to see if it tasted bad. Again, depending on what may have been added to your gel, this may be overly fishy, or it could have a really bad taste to it. If it tastes bad, don’t use it.

      Sea moss gel that has been left out of the refrigerator for a short while won’t behave the same way as an animal product, or items made using ingredients that are animal based.

      I hope this help you 🙂

  2. If I put a jar of Seamoss in refrigerator and freezer at how long it take it to unfreeze it out of the Fridge raider

    • Hello Jeorme,

      Thank you for your question. We have been able to freeze our sea moss gel for a couple of months when we did make an extra large batch, this is helpful if you are concerned about your sea moss gel expiring. However, this isn’t normal for us to do because we like to have it as fresh as possible.

      For where we live, it takes about 2 to 4 hours to defrost to the point that we can easily take the gel out of the container. The temperature in out house is normally about 25 deg C (77 deg F) and we have left this on the draining board of the kitchen sink. The container was about 500ml (about 17 fl oz).

      The only advice I would offer on containers is to not use a glass jar when freezing sea moss. It can expand and crack the glass, and you don’t want tiny pieces of glass in your sea moss gel (these can be very dangerous – particularly if ingested). We have BPA Free resealable plastic containers that we choose to use.

      If you do choose to site your container in some warm water this will speed things up for you. I would advised you not to use a microwave to defrost your sea moss gel – you don’t want to damage your food that way and have it exposed to that type of radiation (my opinion).

      For us, making our sea moss gel as we need it works best. We usually have 3 to 4 containers in the fridge with the volume of sea moss gel we use. When we are down to about 1/4 of the 3rd 500ml container this is our signal to start soaking a fresh batch. This way we don’t have to worry too much about when our sea moss gel will expire.

      What types of things do you use your sea moss gel in?

  3. I brought sea moss left the gel in my car since Wednesday just took it out today is it still good

    • Hello Vernita,

      Thank you for your question. So I can better understand your question on the topic of does sea moss gel expire if it is left in the car, was this a batch you made yourself, or one that you bought pre made?

      Most commercially made sea moss gel recipes will have some preservatives added to them to help prolong the life of what they are selling. If you bought this at a shop where it’s more of an organic, wholefood type range of products they provide, you may find that it’s just sea moss and water. I’d check the packaging or ask the retailer you bought through about this.

      Did they have it stored in a fridge when you bought it? If so, I would suggest that you have put it in the fridge sooner rather than later. This may slow down any degradation of the gel.

      I’m sorry that this seems a bit fuzzy as a reply at the moment. There are so many factors to consider when looking at how sea moss gel expires.

      What I would do in your position is see if it smells funky first. If it is a little beachey, that should still be ok. Next, I would taste a little bit of it to see if it is still palatable. If it tastes nasty then that’s going to go through your other food when you mix it.

      Some people are much more sensitive to the smell and taste than others. My wife, for example, is much more sensitive to taste and smell than me. She can taste when there’s been the tiniest bit of bruising on an avocado, or even a mango – and that’s when it has been added to a smoothie. Seriously, I can’t sneak anything like that past her – lol. So she’s they type of person who will pick up on the slightest smell or taste of sea moss if it is a bit strong, regardless of what it has been added to.

      You need to treat this like any other vegetable that may be on the way out the door. If it is starting to turn it will change the taste and smell. It shouldn’t have a dangerous effect on your body if you do happen to have some (unlike some animal products that go bad), but that’s being said based on the fact that we make our own sea moss gel at home and we know that it’s 100% pure sea moss and alkaline water. We don’t add anything else to it.

      I hope this helps you.

    • Hello Lisa,

      Thank you for your question.

      That’s going to depend on if it is in a gel form, or if you’ve still got it in the dried form, if it’s been opened and what temperature your fridge is set to (and how good it is at keeping cold).

      It’s also going to depend on what type of sea moss you purchased. If you bought through our website, I can tell you more about how our product performs from a shelf life perspective, and what to expect.

      Unfortunately, I can’t speak for any other suppliers as there are many factors that can impact on shelf life, even at the sorting and packaging stages of production.

      Speaking from experience with our sea moss, sometimes it can turn in the fridge, even in a dried form, while other fridges will remove enough moisture to allow it to stay in good condition. I don’t recommend keeping an open bag of sea moss in the fridge for that reason.

      As far as in a gel form goes, keeping your sea moss gel fresh will depend on how it’s been treated. Things like a clean jar to start off, no sticky fingers curiously dipping into your gel, clean spoons that aren’t double dipping. That kind of stuff can go a long way to maintaining a longer life, even in the fridge.

      Trust me when I say you’ll know if it has turned. Typically, if your sea moss gel has expired it will have a strong smell to it that is unmistakable. It can also taste like it has gone bad.

      If you suspect that it is no longer good, I’d put it in the compost and let the worms enjoy it. It’s considerably inexpensive compared to the alternative (getting sick from consuming something that’s gone bad).

      As an example of how long our sea moss can last, I was surprised when my Mother in Law told me that she forgot about the batch of sea moss gel I made for her (some 3 months beforehand) that she had then decided to use in her coffee. She reported that there was no funky smell, and she felt fine afterwards.

      As you can tell, there is a lot to consider, but try smelling it and maybe tasting a little bit before diving in to using it.

      I hope this helps you.

  4. My gel has been in the fridge fora little over a week and at the bottom of the jar it has separated so there is gel at the top and water at the bottom. Is it still good to use?

    • Hello Billie,

      It’s a little tough to say as I’ve seen sea moss gel ‘split’ after it has been defrosted. If you bought this from your supplier as a ready made gel, chances are they might have frozen this to keep it for longer.

      We only sell the dried version of sea moss, not the gel form. Understandably, this means that our Customers have to make their own gel, but the upside for them in this is that they have full control over ‘how’ they make their sea moss gel, and what goes in to it.

      You could try mixing this again and see how it goes. It is smells or tastes funny then it might not be a great idea to use it. Typically, we find that our sea moss gel will expire after about 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge (if it even lasts that long with how much we go through).

      I hope you found this reply helpful.

  5. Hi,
    I ordered sea moss gel that took about two weeks to be delivered to me. When it arrived, it smelled really bad and there was a layer on the top that formed which looks like mold. Is this an indication that the sea moss gel has gone bad?
    Thanks

    • Hello Pamela,

      I think you could place this in the ‘it’s gone bad’ category. Mold isn’t good when it come to sea moss, and I’d go so far as to say that it’s a pretty clear indication that your sea moss gel has most likely expired. I wouldn’t use it in that case.

      It can be tricky when you order sea moss gel from retailers. We don’t make sea moss gel for our Customers. We only sell dried sea moss for you to make your own gel from.

      This gives you full control over what happens to your sea moss gel. We have a couple of posts here that walk you through how to make your own sea moss gel, which I hope helps you.

    • Hello Shelly,

      It is possible to freeze sea moss, but, it’s not going to give you the best results.

      If you’re talking about freezing your sea moss gel, this is best done after it has had a chance to set in the refrigerator overnight. We have been able to pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it for later use. This seems to have presented little challenges with how effective it is.

      That being said, our preference is to make our gel fresh on a rotating basis to reduce the likelihood of our sea moss gel expiring.

      When it comes to defrosting your sea moss gel, allow this to happen in the fridge slowly. Avoid using a microwave to defrost it.

      Depending upon the moisture content of the sea moss you have, you may find that if you freeze it as a non-gelled form (the whole plant), that it goes bad. If it has been grown in the ocean it will be better off being allowed to dry naturally with dry, free flowing air being able to circulate around it.

      You’ll notice that it excretes salt as a part of this process. This is natural, and it helps to preserve your sea moss for longer. It’s better than freezing it if it is an option you can try.

      I hope this helps you get the most out of your sea moss.

    • Hello Lavar,

      Thanks for your question about how to tell if dried sea moss has turned bad.

      The easiest way to know if this has had anything happen to it is going to be based on the presence of mold. Typically, a high salt content, as found in sea moss, will mean that this is highly unlikely.

      Look for fuzzy spots or discoloration that don’t wash off when you go to prepare your sea moss to make sea moss gel.

      I’m working on a post that shows how a sample of sea moss that has been left in an open bowl on a window sill has withstood the test of five months of exposure to an indoor climate with typical (temperate) indoor airflow.

    • Hello Lynn,

      Thank you for your question.

      This is a bit tough to answer based on a number of factors, namely:

      1. There are many different species of seaweed sold as Sea Moss.
      2. Your intentions for making Sea Moss a part of your day at this stage are potentially very expansive, and the outcomes you are looking for are not known.
      3. Your underlying medical history is an important factor that needs professional consideration.

      As much as this might not be the type of answer you are looking for, I would suggest you seek advice from your trusted Nutritionist or Doctor before choosing to consume Sea Moss for any specific reason.

      This is also going to depend on the type, namely the species, of seaweeed (sold as Sea Moss) that you’re looking at. You may find some information from these articles interesting when it comes to making Sea Moss a apart of your day:

      Given that we don’t know the specifics of your situation, and I’m not a Doctor, I can’t give you specific advice.

      What I can do is share with you what I do. I am currently consuming between 1/2 and 3/4 of a cup of Sea Moss Gel each day. This tends to fluctuate based on seasons, and currently,

      Currently, I’m making it a larger part of my day as a preventative measure considering the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m not saying this is an effective treatment, or a cure. No one really knows what will work for CoronaVirus at this stage. It’s just where I’m at with how I’m consuming Sea Moss right now.

      The same approach as described in other areas on our website is being applied to preparing my Sea Moss Gel, and making sure that it is done in such a way to maximise the shelf life. I’m still mindful of my Sea Moss Gel expiring.

      With the increased consumption, I’m now soaking more each time to keep up with what I’m using each day.

  6. I have started feeling feverish after my first day of consuming Seamoss. I only took 2 – 4 teaspoons. Why is this

    • Hello Jay,

      Thank you for your question.

      Given the current circumstances, I would suggest you reach out to your local Doctor. With how things are in the world right now and the spread of the virus, I would urge you not to ignore this.

      I can’t give you medical advice here, so please see a specialist as soon as you can.

      As far as Sea Moss causing a reaction like this, I haven’t heard anything tho this effect after such a small amount. It would be worth advising your Doctor of what it is you have consumed (all foods and drinks) in the past few days too. Don’t stop at the Sea Moss as the assumed cause. It may be deeper than this.

      As we can’y find your email address in our list of Customers, I can’t hand on heart speak for the Supplier you have sourced your Sea Moss from.

      Even Sea Moss Gel that has taken on a smell that is beachey is typically safe to consume (provided it has not turned moldy). Sea Moss causing feverish reactions, even as a batch that might be a bit old, is unlikely. However, I can’t speak for how your body may present with allergic reactions to different things.

      I would suggest you consider stopping your consumption, and contact your Doctor as a fever tells me this could be more serious than an allergic reaction. I don’t wish to cause you alarm, but please do look after yourself.

      Many people are looking to Sea Moss to help with COVID-19, but there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that it will be effective at this stage.

      I hope this helps you.

  7. A Friend Of My Son Makes The Sea Moss Gels, And She Puts It In The Plastic Sealed Pouches….This Is My First Time Even Seeing What It Looks Like. It’s A Clear Looking Gel.My Question Is, Will It Be Alright In Those Pouches? My Son Bought Three Of Them. I Assumed When He Bought Them They Would Be In The Mason Jars…….And Can I Add The Sea Moss In A Hot Tea?

    • Hi Val,

      The best person to contact would be the person your son bought from. We have no knowledge of what this individual’s product quality is or what processes have been done to the Sea Moss so it makes it impossible for us to speak for their product.

      If we were referring to our Sea Moss, the Sea Moss in gel form should be fine in a plastic pouch. You can learn more about how Sea Moss gel is made in our article here.

      I would recommend refrigerating it though to extend the gel’s lifespan.

      If refrigerated, your Sea Moss gel should be fine for 2 – 3 weeks. If left at room temperature, I would not expect it to remain suitable for use for longer than a week.

      Sea Moss gel can be added to hot tea. Depending on the strength of the tea you should not even be able to taste the Sea Moss, making it a sneaky but great nutrient booster.

  8. What should sea moss gel smell like? What is the “funny” smell for if it goes bad? (first time user)

    • Hi Justice,

      I cannot speak for other Sea Moss outside of our stock, so the below is based on our learnings with our product.

      Sea Moss gel should generally not have too much of a smell. It is an ever so slight beachy/seaweed-like smell in gel form.

      Kept refrigerated, you should get roughly 2 – 3 weeks out of your Sea Moss gel before it goes bad. The smell of beachy/seaweed will become much stronger once it reaches this point. It will become very obvious when your gel has gone bad as the smell amplifies significantly.

  9. Hello. I had purchased some sea moss gel and it was shipped to a different state (by accident) and finally mailed to me two or three days after it was mailed out. Is it still safe to eat the sea moss gel or should I toss it out?

    • Hi Nikki,

      Your best bet would be to contact the person you purchased the Sea Moss gel from. We cannot speak for other’s quality of product or how they have processed their Sea Moss.

      Based on our experience with our product, once your Sea Moss is turned into a gel you will get up to a week before the gel will start to turn if not refrigerated. You can get an average of 2 – 3 weeks before it turns bad refrigerated.

  10. Hiya what are the effects if taken out of date seamoss gel
    I’ve had it refrigerated for 3 weeks and take two tablespoons daily I’ve not received my new batch so I’m still taking my previous
    I just wanted to know if so of any symptoms to the body’s
    Thank you Donna

    • Hi Donna,

      Thank you for your question.

      Eating foods that have become rancid may be hazardous to your health. If your Sea Moss Gel has a strong smell or looks like something is growing on the surface, it is not safe to consume. If you do eat foods that have gone rancid, you may experience food poisoning. Symptoms may include stomach cramps or abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, bloating, flatulence, fatigue, dizziness, light-headed, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, headaches, and weakness.

      Vomiting and diarrhea may cause dehydration, so make sure that you drink plenty of fresh clean water. Filtered Alkaline water is best to ensure that you’re not adding any chemicals to your body when it needs support with the healing and purging process.

      Food poisoning can have very serious health side effects if not treated. If you think that you may have food poisoning please seek medical advice.

  11. Hi my seamoss gel was in my refrigerator for about a month and now part liquified the scent seems the same but because of this I’m reluctant to use.

    It’s store bought sea moss w/bladder wracked mix 100% organic

    • Hi Nicei,

      Thank you for your comment. If the Sea Moss has been refrigerated, it will definitely last much longer than if you were stored it on the bench or in your cupboard.

      If the Sea Moss Gel separates a little, this is normal. Mix it up a bit with a spoon as add to smoothies or food as normal.

      As this is not our product, we are unable to provide advice or recommendations for use. As your Sea Moss Gel does not have a strong scent, I suspect it would be okay to consume. However, if you are unsure, refer back to the company you bought it from.

  12. I’ve been purchasing sea moss from various suppliers for some time. I’ve always gotten the typical dried out versions. Recently I got an order of raw sea moss that had a much higher moisture content than I’ve seen or dealt with.

    What is the typical shelf life on wetter/fresh sea moss?

    And should it be stored differently?

    I’m used to throwing it in the pantry until I want to use it. Not sure if this will keep the same or if it should go into the fridge or freezer until I’m ready to start preparing it. It doesn’t appear to have any additional salt like I’ve read to preserve it.

    • Hi Christell,

      Thank you for your comment. In my experience, the moisture content of dried Sea Moss has been up to 30% moisture content. If you feel that the Sea Moss that you bought is too wet, you can lay it in the sun to continue drying. If you are unhappy with your Sea Moss, I would encourage you to contact the supplier and discuss the matter with them.

      Dried Sea Moss has a shelf life of anywhere between 12 and 24 months depending on storage. Our Sea Moss can be stored in the pantry until you are ready to use it. There is no harm in storing your Sea Moss in the fridge or freezer if you choose to.

      I cannot speak for other suppliers Sea Moss. However, our Sea Moss is sundried. We do not add salt or any other additives to our Sea Moss. The seaweed is harvested from the ocean, rinsed in seawater to remove any excess sand and debris, and laid out in the sun to dry. The salt that appears on the dried Sea Moss from the moisture sweating out as it dries.

  13. Hi, I have been reading most of the reviews above and they have answered some of my questions and most beneficial.
    I have been struggling to source quality sea moss, I recently ordered some from ebay, it arrived yesterday, the condition of the sea moss is very crumbly, it breaks up in your hand and it does not smell of the sea at all. I am assuming it is fake and I will be sending it back.

    Also why does sea moss expand when frozen in glass containers, but doesn’t expand in food grade plastic bags or ice cube trays?

    Also should sea moss gel be kept sealed in the fridge or left open in a glass container.

    Will freezing sea moss lose the nutritional value?

    I make my sea moss, using just alkaline water.

    Do you deliver to the United Kingdom?

    • Hello Paula,

      Thank you so much for your kind feedback on this article and your questions, I hope that I’m able to help you here to your satisfaction.

      If the Sea Moss you ordered is breaking up I would initially be questioning two things; 1) how long has it been since it was harvested? And 2) what kind of treatment processes has it been exposed to.

      As a natural product, and depending upon the species, some types of seaweed can start to break down in this way as they get older. Some within a much shorter time frame than others.

      I’ll elaborate a little here to give you some context. I had one of our Followers on Instagram reach out to me with photos and videos of something similar a little while ago.

      When she put the Sea Moss she got in cold water it turned slimey and completely broke down within minutes. In the interests of fairness, I can’t disclose who the Seller was as this may have been a one off. What did surprise me was that the Seller was sourcing their seaweed from a region that is popularly believed to be the best in the world and highly regarded when it comes to Sea Moss.

      That being said, I have visited this region and seen a number of seaweed farms over the years. There is some good quality seaweed in this area too, her experience isn’t in any way intended to typify this part of the world.

      In short, you can’t judge a region or a country based on a sample size of one, but as the Customer who got a product like this, I can appreciate her disappointment. I guess the point that I’m making here is that the only way to be truly satisfied is thorough a positive experience, and I hope that her next experience makes up for the one she shared with me.

      Considering what you have mentioned in your comment about this potentially being fake has caused me to wonder about where your Sea Moss came from. At times you can’t help but wonder about the integrity of a products because of the platform that it was purchased through. I know I have sometimes found myself second guessing similar purchases made online in the past.

      That’s not to say that you can’t trust eBay as a platform. As a company they can’t be held accountable for the Sellers who choose to list their products there. We also sell on eBay to quite a few repeat Customers and deliver around the world. So, in my eyes, eBay is a good place to be. Otherwise, our Customers would only be able to buy through our website, and some prefer to shop on eBay. There are some very good protections for you (and me when I’m shopping) as a Customer though their platform, which I think is great.

      Anyhow, I feel like I’m a bit off topic here… Sorry.

      I’m not sure why you are seeing a variation in the expansion rates in the freezer based on the container type. This is a bit unusual, unless these are different batches with different percentages of water content. I would expect that regardless of if it is a glass container or a food grade plastic container that there would be similar types of behavior in this regard.

      I get that with food grade plastic bags that an expansion rate may be hidden a bit more, but that’a a good question and I’m going to try it myself to see if there’s any variations in the same batch with the same water content from one container type to the next.

      As far as changes in the nutritional value after freezing, there may be a shift in some regard, but I don’t expect it to be a lot. This is another area of testing that our Audience have expressed interest in, which we would like to evaluate at some stage.

      The challenge we face with this is that the cost of laboratory analysis is very expensive, and we’re chipping away at a very big assessment project on the 92 minerals to prove their presence outside of the nutritional information assessment that is require. As a small business that is operating on the back of the efforts and funding from our small Team, we’re working hard to bring as much value as we can to the Community.

      When it comes to storing your Sea Moss Gel I’d recommend keeping it in a sealed container to prevent things from falling into it, even while in the fridge. This will also help keep it from drying out and crusting on the top and edges.

      We only use Alkaline water in our home. This I have found provides the best results for working with Sea Moss, and it doesn’t have any of the nasty chemicals that we have in our tap water here in Melbourne. If you can avoid the chlorine, fluoride and other nasty stuff when making your Sea Moss Gel, you’re heading in the right direction.

  14. I opened A jar of sea moss gel that I received over a month ago…It immediately started to expand over the top of the jar opening . I checked the inside the jar and noticed that there was a sligh white film inside on the sea moss gel and it smelled funny. Should I put it in the garbage or is it safe to take once it’s refrigerated?

    • Hi Georgia,

      Thank you for your comment. Given your description, I don’t think it would be suitable for consumption. I have never experienced anything of this nature before. Would you be able to send us photographs of your Sea Moss Gel?

      Some people have asked us why we don’t sell Sea Moss Gel. In my experience, the Sea Moss Gel has a short shelf life, especially if it is not refrigerated. We do not want to put unnecessary chemicals or additives into the Sea Moss Gel to prolong its shelf life.

      Instead, we choose to give you the natural dried whole plant so that you know when your Sea Moss Gel was made and how it has been stored. (I recommend storing your Sea Moss Gel in the fridge when you’re not using it)

      Please contact the merchant that you bought your Sea Moss Gel from. Let them know about your experience. Hopefully, they will be able to help you with your query and remedy the situation.

  15. Hi I’ve made the gel myself but I don’t think I rinsed it well enough as I can still taste a slight bit of the sea and it has a mild sea smell to it too
    It this still ok to consume? Or will this cause me harm if digested
    Thanks in advance

    • Hello Beilee,

      Thank you so much for your question. This is one that we find people reach out to us about a bit.

      I can’t speak to the source of your Sea Moss (if it wasn’t purchased through our website), but I’ll give you the best tips and advice I can as if this was the same Sea Moss that I have in my kitchen.

      If it still tastes a little beachy, it should be ok to consume. I say this assuming that when you got it there wasn’t a lot of debris, sand, sea dirt, etc. on your seaweed. Most suppliers are conscientious and will not send out something that looks bad or dirty.

      Even with a rigorous wash before soaking our seaweed, I can sometimes still detect a slight beachy smell or taste. This is to be expected as it is a natural product and will vary from one specimen to the next, almost as much as it will from one harvest to the next, even from the same seaweed farm.

      You’ll find that the taste will most likely be lost when this is added to most things, with the exception of herbal teas, coffee, and other subtle flavored foods and drinks. A fruit or vegetable smoothie will certainly overpower the taste and the smell.

      As far as if this will be harmful to digest, there’s more to consider than the beachy smell or taste. If you have underlying health or gut issues, I’d suggest you speak with a specialist first as your body may not be ready for this. That’s not to say that Sea moss is dangerous generally speaking, but that I don’t know your specific circumstances and your needs.

      If you’re in good health then I would expect that you have nothing to be worried about when it comes to the taste and the smell being more like the sea than being a bland or undetectable taste or smell. What you do need to look out for is the presence or harmful chemicals.

      Many seaweed farmers apply a natural process of sun bleaching their Sea Moss. I say ‘bleaching’ in as much as the process changes the color. This is something that is typically done to improve the appeal of the seaweed as it looks nicer and sells quicker. I have that on good authority as I’ve spent time with many Seaweed Farmers over the years, and seen their operations. In some cases I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to work with them for a while.

      The bleaching that I mentioned is achieved by blanketing the seaweed with sheets of plastic and letting the heat of the sun work it’s magic. In many cases, these Seaweed Farmers are not in a position to be able to afford chemicals to bleach their seaweed. And even if they could, you would know it as soon as you opened the packet. This would trigger returns to the Retailer. The Retailer would send them back to the Supplier. And the Supplier would most likely no longer engage the Farmers, so it’s not in their best interests, and the Farmers know it.

      I hope this has been helpful 🙂

  16. hello,

    I plan on selling my seamoss gel but concerned about glass vs plastic jars for shipping cost, I still want my customers to receive a good product but just concern on shipping breakage and cost. what is your advice to preserved the best product.
    thank you

    • Hello Yvette,

      That’s a really good question, thank you.

      We discussed providing Sea Moss Gel to our Customers quite a while ago and decided that it wouldn’t be the best thing for us to do for them at this stage. There were a number of reasons behind this, which I’ll share with you as I walk through the various aspects of your question.

      When it comes to the container type, I would suggest that glass is a much better option than plastic. That’s based on a number of personal preferential factors in my opinion. Understandably, when shipping glass there are some logistical considerations to make, and sustainability considerations too when it come to packaging.

      You’re right in stating that the shipping and production costs are things you’ll need to evaluate when bringing a product to market. If you aren’t operating profitably, you can’t continue to serve your Customers for very long. If they have come to love your product, you owe it to them to continue to deliver what you have to the highest level or quality and service within your ability. So, you need to make sure you can stay in business for them as much as for you.

      I know this may seem a little off topic for managing the expiration and storage of Sea Moss Gel, but I applaud you for looking at how you can help more people get access to this amazing product. So, never for gt that profit is not a dirty word, it’s what makes the free market function and brings us these amazing products we now have access to. If you can make a fair profit, you can explore bringing more products to your Customers they may not otherwise have access to. This way they win and so do you.

      Back to the Sea Moss Gel… Another thing to consider is the shelf life of your product. The challenges faced here are another reason why we opted to not manufacture Sea Moss Gel. Shipping this over long distances when it has a shorter shelf life to dried Sea Moss was something that we felt would diminish the quality of the product for our Customers. If you can find a way to provide Sea Moss Gel (without preservatives that your Customers don’t want) to your Customers that’s great!

      We decided that we prefer to leave the process of making the gel in the hands of our Customers. That way they know exactly what is in their gel. Some people are opting to use lime juice to help with this, but what if you don’t like citrus, or have an allergy?

      We have found that by adding a few drops of our preferred essential oils to a reusable pump pack we are able to get as much as 3 to 4 weeks out of our gel that sits on the bathroom counter. We use this for topical applications and not ingestion. So, essential oils will be off the table if you’re making gel for your Customers to ingest.

      We have chosen to encourage people to make their own gel on an ‘as needed’ basis. This way it is fresh as it can be, which aligns with our values. If we find a way to do this and not compromise our values, then we may look at it again. But, it will need to be profitable, otherwise we run the risk of closing up shop based on a bad business decision, and that’s not going to help anyone.

      If I were in your shoes, I would run tests on various options after doing more research. Engage a laboratory once you have what you think is the best way to keep your products fresher for longer and ask them to test the shelf life for you. You’ll also need to assess the nutritional content, and test for harmful substances like disease causing microorganisms and their pathogens. We run all of these tests on our Sea Moss before we bring it to market to make sure we are doing the right thing by our Customers.

      I hope that this has been helpful, and I wish you all the best in your venture. It’s really exciting to hear that you’re looking in this space!

  17. Hello, I wanted to ask is it best to keep sea moss gel in a glass container or is it okay to put it in a plastic zipper bag if it’s refrigerated? I’ve seen some places say to contain the moss in glass however I know of a company that sells the sea moss gel in pouches. Thanks for your help

    • Hello Elena,

      Thank you for your question. Glass tends to be more reliable than plastic for a number of reasons. We prefer to store our gel in glass jars when we make it.

      Depending upon the type of plastic you’re using, there may be concerns about the chemicals used to make the plastic, and the practicality of a bag in the fridge. You may find this is more challenging to manage, and it’s not as sustainable as a jar if you’re making your own Sea Moss Gel.

      The pouch type bags are typically food grade, but you can find there are some on the market that don’t meet these standards, so it’s worth looking into that.

      If you prefer to use a zip lock type bag, for the lifespan of the gel this shouldn’t be an issue. Just make sure that if you are reusing any type of container for your gel that it is thoroughly cleaned with to remove all traces of the previous batch. If you don’t clean your container (glass or plastic) properly, your next batch you put in it could turn very quickly.

      The pouches can be notorious for having small amounts of the gel caking in the corners and near the seals. These can be a problem when reusing them.

  18. Hi! I purchased seamoss gel from someone. It was shipped on Apr 29. USPS messed up the address and I just got it today. It’s packaged in heat sealed bags. I haven’t opened them yet to transfer into Mason jars. Do you think their bad and I should just toss them?

    • Hello LaShonda,

      Thank you for your question.

      I would place them in the fridge first, as they are in their original packaging. If the Seller you purchased through hasn’t provided any instructions, reach out to them and see what they suggest.

      To reduce the chance of your whole shipment going bad quickly, I would expect that it is safe to say that the best approach is to only decant what you need into a clean mason jar as you need it. If it smells bad (you’ll know the difference between ‘beachy’ and ‘bad’ – trust me!) then I would suggest that you let the Seller know about the issue and find out if they can help you.

      I would encourage you to try making your own Sea Moss Gel so you now it is fresh, and you know exactly what has gone into it. This can be more time consuming, but the results, I believe, are worth it.

      I hope this has been helpful.

  19. I recieved a jar of seamoss gel from amazon and I had it sitting on my counter for about a week, when I opened it today it smelt like the swamp, is that normal and when i tasted it, the taste was the same, not that I ever tasted the swamp before, but how it smells, its how it tasted, if I could imagine. Do you think I need to throw it out, or just put it in the fridge?

    • Thank you for your question, Tameka.

      This isn’t unusual in my experience. When you purchased your Sea Moss Gel did you get any storage instructions?

      I would expect that if the ingredients for your gel are just Sea Moss and water that this will turn in time. Even with preservatives added there is going to be a limited life span and storage needs.

      We have found that we need to keep our Sea Moss Gel in the fridge once it has been prepared. If it is left on the counter (or bench top) it can turn bad in a few days. We make ours fresh when we need it from our Sea Moss about every 4 to 5 days at the moment.

      The method of preparing Sea Moss that we use is really easy to follow. We make it ourselves so we know exactly what as gone into it, and that the water is of a quality that we can trust. In many cities the tap water has a whole lot of chemicals added to it that you probably don’t want top drink.

      If the gel you have smells that bad, I would suggest that you don’t consume it. It may not be very good for you, at the very least, it will be very unpleasant, and you don’t really want to have a bad feeling attached with your sea moss.

      You don’t want to have bad feelings attached with anything you consume, really. If your energy is off, then it’s not the right time. And if this triggers a feeling like that then I’d say it’s not a great idea. Maybe try getting your own dried Sea Moss and make your own gel.

  20. I heard someone say, sea moss is a living thing….which it freaked me out a bit because we are consuming it…is there a way to help me further understand that.

    • Thanks for the interesting question, Tameka.

      Think of it this way, foods are a source of energy. Kirlian photography is one way to ‘see’ the energy, or life force, in foods. In an article Christine wrote about weight loss and raw foods, she spoke about this under the section ‘Why Choose Raw Food?’

      This style of photography is quite interesting when you think about the way that this is understood to show the aura, or energy around a certain thing. In this case, food.

      The maintaining of the life force in foods is an element that is key in the raw foodist methodology. Live foods are better for you than dead foods. Raw foodists hold to the belief that once the food passes a certain temperature (typically believed to be between 33°C and 48°C (92°F and 118°F) that the ‘life force’ in the food is diminished.

      In this, sea moss is a living thing. And that continues to be the case for raw foodists as long as it hasn’t been cooked.

      Sea Moss in this form isn’t living in that it can continue to grow after harvesting, drying, and preparation for consumption. Don’t worry, it can’t keep growing after you’ve eaten it 🙂

      I hope this has been helpful.

  21. I bought sea moss powder and it is a little brown in color even when blended and made into gel form it’s still brown, a little lighter than before but definitely not the clear translucent color I’ve been seeing. Is that normal?

    • Hello Shaun,

      Thank you for your question. This can be a bit challenging to deal with when you have a powdered form of sea moss. The biggest question for me is ‘what else is in that powder?’ as I haven’t made the powder myself (and nor would I choose to make/buy powdered sea moss for clarification purposes).

      Think about it this way, when you make a fresh batch of Sea Moss Gel from the whole seaweed you know it is just the seaweed and the water (and anything else you chose put in it yourself). Understandably, sea Moss powder will expire, just like Sea Moss Gel expires, but over a longer time frame.

      Maybe think about these dimensions too; how clean was the sea moss that was used to make your powder? We know that there will be some ‘sea dirt’ and sand on real Sea Moss and that we need to clean this off. There will also be quite a lot of salt stored inside the sea moss too, which is expected because it grows in the open ocean. So how much of this is removed before the sea moss is made into a powder? And if it is, how is it removed? What processes and chemicals are used?

      As you can tell, I’m not a fan of powdered sea moss. The fact that you’ve made a gel type mixture from this is interesting as most people will add it to foods and smoothies instead of making a gel.

      If the sea moss that was made into a powder had not been sun bleached this could be another reason for the brown color you’re seeing. If you take a look at the ‘Sun Bleaching Sea Moss’ section in the article How to Spot Fake Sea Moss 4 Tips to Buy The Real Deal (the last section of this article), you’ll see how the color is dropped out of sea moss that is purple, red, olive green or even brown.

      I hope this helps.

  22. Hey I’m looking to sell seamoss gel. I’m planning on placing them in mason jars, freezing it and shipping priority 2,3 day shipping would that be fine? Or would the seamoss need to be “hot packed/ boiled before freezing? Been looking for answers all day lol

    • Hello Rob,

      Thank you for your question. We don’t currently sell sea moss gel for a number of reasons, and have found that these are currently why we choose not to do this.

      First off, sea moss gel expiry periods are much shorter without preservatives being added. We don’t like that many commercially used preservatives are not natural, so we stay away from these. You could find natural preservatives, but you need to ask ‘what will this do to the product?’ and ‘is this what my Customers really want?’

      We’ve found that through the feedback we have had from our Customers that they are a bit of a split. Some want gel in a ready made form, and others prefer to make their own gel. Rather than assuming that our Customers who want the ready made gel would be happy with our processes we have chosen to let them manage this. That way they have a fresher product, and have full control over what goes in to their gel.

      Some methods of preserving do use boiling in the package type techniques to ‘seal in the goodness’ as they say. However, I’m not sure that this is the best way to go with Sea Moss Gel. I’m saying that based o the number of messages we get from people asking if their funky smelling gel that just arrived, or has been on the counter (bench top) for a few days is still safe to consume.

      Sorry I can’t help you any further. At this stage we haven’t found a solution that resonates with our values and the preservation of the purity of our Sea Moss to meet the requests of manufacturing Sea Moss Gel with a longer than ‘at home’ expiry of about 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.

  23. My Seamoss (already soaked and cleaned) has some tiny black spots on it. Does that mean it’s bad?

    • Hi Brie,

      Thank you for your query. Sometimes there may be a little sand of silt that has lodged itself in the stipe (stem) or the leaf-like stems. There is nothing wrong with the seaweed. You may be able to pick out the black spots with your nails or a toothpick. I would suggest doing this before blending the Sea Moss into a gel like paste.

    • Hello Arrick,

      We don’t sell Sea Moss Gel. We sell Sea Moss in a dried form and provide guidance on how to get the best results with our Sea Moss when making your own gel.

      If you’re buying off someone who sell the gel, the best tip would be to refrigerate it in my opinion. But, you would be best advised to check with them as they may have different processes than other manufacturers.

      I hope this helps.

  24. Hey ! I made Seamoss but it still has that fishy sea taste. Is it possible to get rid of that taste after the Seamoss has already turned to a gel. As well, some parts aren’t fully gelled and still have a hard texture. What should I do ?? Please Need help.

    • Hi Sheniel,

      Depending on how sensitive you are when it comes to taste and smell, some Sea Moss gel will have a slightly fishy/beachy taste. A light taste of this is quite normal.

      If it is overpowering it may have something to do with the actual Sea Moss itself or the way it was turned into a gel.

      Without knowing how you made the Sea Moss gel, it could be any number of reasons. This could range from using the water it was soaked in to blend in, or not washing off enough of the salt or sand the Sea Moss is commonly dried out with.

      If you still have hard bits of Sea Moss floating around in your gel it sounds like it wasn’t blended for long enough. Alternatively, it may have been chunks stuck in the corners or on the side of the blender. These do need to be scraped back into the gel mix to ensure a smooth mix. The good news is you can still do this even after the Sea Moss gel has been blended.

      Matt wrote a great in-depth breakdown on how to blend Sea Moss into a gel, you can ready about preparing your Sea Moss here.

      I hope this helps!

  25. Hello, I bought some sea moss gel already made. It was shipped out June 3 and I received it on June 8 . I was at work when I got delivered and it sat outside in 86 degree heat for over an hour. When I open the package the ice pack was not cold at all and neither was the jar. At this point I’m not even sure if it was refrigerated in between shipping. What are the odds of it still being edible? I had a sort of smell to it but I’m not sure what’s it is suppose to smell like.

    • Hello Asia,

      Thanks for your question! I would expect it to have a slightly beachy smell, but not too overpowering. Unfortunately, when you buy Sea Moss Gel as a pre-made product you won’t get as much life out of it compared to making the gel yourself.

      Making your own Sea Moss Gel is really easy, and there’s a sense of fulfillment that I have when making my own because I know what has gone into it. But that’s just me.

      If it smells too strong and is off putting, maybe don’t use it and let the company know who you bought it through about your experience. That way, if they care about the service they provide to you ( I hope they do), they can figure out what happened and come up with a plan to prevent the same thing happening again in the future.

      The main reason I would suggest not using it if you don’t like the smell or the taste isn’t really that much about getting sick from it. It’s more about an enjoyable experience.

      If you don’t have a good experience, particularly with your first few times, you’ll never come back to it. And Sea Moss is so good that you really don’t want to have that happen.

      If the taste and the smell aren’t that bad that you feel it needs to be thrown in the trash, you can add it to stronger flavored smoothies, soup, etc. (we have some recipes that you might want to try), and see how you go. If you find that it doesn’t sit well with you, don’t consume anymore.

      Not being able to speak about how your Sea Moss Gel was made, I can’t say how long it will last. But, typically, you can expect to get between 2 and 3 weeks out of your gel before it expires (as long as it is kept in the fridge).

      I hope this is helpful and that you have a good experience with your Sea Moss. Maybe try making your own gel and see how that compares?

  26. Hi,

    I recently made a batch of seams gel. I left it on the shelf at room temperature for 3 days and it now has a strong smell. However the smell is just a more intense smell of when I made it at first.

    I have now put the batch in the fridge and intend to use it with smoothies. However, do you think that it is safe to use?

    Many thanks,

    • Hello Odessa,

      In my experience it should be fine. It might smell and taste a little stronger, or even a but funky. If this is too much to take then don’t set yourself up for an unpleasant experience.

      We’ve got a few test jars stored in different conditions that will feature in an upcoming article where we show you what the differences are.

      Stay tuned 🙂

  27. Hello, I bought sea moss gel and and blend it with pineapple in order for my kids to eat directly without mixing it in a smoothie. I stored it in a 12 oz mason jar ..I poured more than 12 oz .. and it exploded in the fridge.. It doesnt taste spoiled but I cant figure out why it ouzed out of the jar. Any response will be greatly appreciated

    • Hello Myti,

      Wow, now that’s a new one! I’ve never heard of this happening.

      When you say pineapple juice do you mean like a pineapple flavored soda? I know that in some places what would be called soda is called juice. If this is the case for you, then that would explain it – the carbonation.

      If not, then as a reaction between a fresh pineapple juice and sea moss could be possible through the pineapple fermenting. If you could clarify the juice / soda question it will help in understanding the situation.

      FYI, I want to see what happens when I mix pineapple juice and sea moss together.

      I hope this helps you.

  28. Hi, I purchased a package of raw un-dried wet Chondrus Crispus sea moss on April 19th, 2020 and received it on April 29th, 2020. It was delivered in a vacuum sealed air tight bag but I haven’t even opened yet. I noticed today 6/25/2020 that some small white patches have started showing up on a couple of spots inside the bag. I was going to start using this sea moss next week to make a batch of gel, can you tell me what the white patches may be or should I toss it..Also did you make your follow up post about what bad sea moss look like. Thanks for whatever information you can provide

    • Hello AJ,

      That’s an interesting question. Our Sea Moss is dried, and we’ve found that wet seaweed isn’t that easy to bring into a country like Australia. The quarantine process here is really strict.

      I would expect that the white patches are possibly salt, but if it is wet and vacuum sealed that’s a bit of a stretch. It should still be evenly wet throughout the bag you would think.

      Are you able to share a photo with us on one of the following?
      Reddit
      Facebook
      Twitter
      Instagram
      Pinterest

  29. Hello I made Seamoss Gel and Froze it. When I thawed it out and Put it in a Mason jar it did not gel back up. What should I have done?

    • Hi Janis,

      When freezing your Sea Moss Gel, it may be best to freeze the gel in smaller portions. When I freeze my Sea Moss Gel, I like to use an ice cube tray. There is between 1 and 2 tablespoon of gel per cube. Then when you are ready to use the gel, use as many cubes of frozen gel as desired.

  30. Hi, I just received my seamoss in a glass jar. It was shipped from another state and it took 4 days to get to me. When I opened up the package, one of the jars leaked and the lid was popped up. Nothing broke but the seamoss did leak out. I want to know if it is still good to use. Thank you

    • Hi Ally,

      Given that the jars are still intact and nothing is broken, I see no reason why the gel would not be useable. If the Sea Moss Gel has a funky smell, then the product may be turning. It would not be advisable to consume it. For more information, please contact your supplier.

  31. Hello,

    I wasn’t aware that sea moss gel expired so quickly. I received a large jar & have been consuming it for 12 weeks . I have now thrown it out. What affects could this have on my body? Should I be worried?

    • Hello Navara,

      Thank you for your question.

      This article has been written based on using our Sea Moss and making it into a Gel without any additives and preservatives. As this product is made fresh the shelf life is shorter, so following our instructions on how to make Sea Moss Gel using our Sea Moss does mean that your Sea Moss Gel may expire sooner than if it had artificial chemicals added to it to prolong the life expectancy.

      If you have been using the Sea Moss Gel and feel fine then there is likely nothing to worry about. Some Sea Moss Gel may have additives and preservatives in them to prolong the life of the product. It would be best to look at the ingredients and the best before date.

      Before throwing away your Sea Moss Gel, it would be worth contacting your supplier to find out how it was prepared, what is in their product ie: preservatives, and how they would suggest storing it.

      When food has expired there may be contaminates and potentially harmful organisms like viruses, bacteria, parasites, or toxins. On the mild side, food that has expired may cause symptoms like headaches, nausea, dehydration, weakness, fatigue, muscles aches, and generally feeling sick. More severe symptoms like fever, abdominal pain or cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.

      If you do get food poisoning, rest up and hydrate with plenty of water. If symptoms persist, go to your doctor.

  32. I dont have a jar. Can i store my sea moss gel i just made in a plastic container or bag?

    • Hello Tim,

      If you’re happy with using plastic (I’d suggest BPA free) then that’s fine. A tub would be easier to manage than a plastic bag.

  33. I had made me some sea moss gel a year ago and kept it refrigerated the whole while. It is in a Mason jar. Would it still b good?

    • Hello Jay,

      That’s quite a long time. I’m going to guess that it’s most likely gone bad in that time. If you take the lid off and it smells or tastes funky, you can safely assume that it’s no longer any good. Personally, I would let the plants and worms in my garden enjoy this. It will have value for your compost, but probably not for you.

  34. Hi,

    I got my sea moss. Responsible Wild harvest…I stored in plastic bags and now it has an ammonia smell. I am positive it was not pool grown or chemical bleach because color does vary. Could this be due to lack of oxygen and the sulfur content?

    • Hello HealthNeeds,

      Thank you for your question. It’s hard to say what the cause may be, but it’s not impossible that it is directly linked to the seaweed you have bought. I would suggest you get in touch with the Seller and find out if there’s anything you should know about.

      The fact that you mentioned it has an ammonia smell to it is troubling. If you’re able to send a picture to us on Instagram I’ll take a look for you.

      The main concern I have is in two potential areas:

      1. Your Sea Moss isn’t the real deal and may be another species, but I can’t say until I’ve seen some decent photos.
      2. Your Sea Moss has been exposed to something at an enzyme level which may have resulted in the smell you’re picking up.

      It’s worth giving the Seller you bought through this feedback, and explaining to them how you have handled / stored your Sea Moss so they can better help you solve the problem.

      I hope this helps you.

  35. Thank you for your prompt feedback. I did contact the seller and he mentioned he will get it tested. No one has complained and my other bags don’t have this smell. Only the ones I stored in zip lock bags. I know zip lock bags have a blue tint and I assumed it picked up the chemicals from the bag because it was in a heated car (forgot to mention that part…lol) but, I want to be certain so I sent the bags to the seller for testing.

    I will send u a picture with my user name. I know I have cottonii. I get from them often.

    • Glad to help where possible.

      It’s a bit concerning in my opinion that the Seller is only now going to get the Sea Moss tested as there hadn’t been any complaints. What about the general safety of your Customers and meeting compliance requirements when selling a food product? It’s sad that the focus in some cases with Sellers is on the money they are making, not the value that is brought to the Customer.

      As far as testing goes, the typical 16 point Certificate of Analysis can cost around $1,600.00 US up to $3,700.00 US in my experience with the variations being more based on where the Labs are and their name as a brand more than anything else.

      In some cases these costs are higher based on Lab A being contracted by the Client to do the work, and then subcontracting this out to Lab B and charging the Client a ‘handling fee’ of sorts. They (Lab A) effectively have the assessment completed and rewrite the data under an agreement with the other Lab (Lab B), and the Client thinks that all of the work was done by Lab A from start to finish. There’s a lot of leg work and capital investment in the process, so I would be curious to know just how the Seller you are sending these back to will be ‘testing’ them, given they haven’t done it before.

      Anyhow, the heat in the car would have possibly played a part (depending on how hot and direct the sun was) I would expect.

      I hope that your Seller isn’t leading you down the garden path so to speak, and is actually following through on the testing. For your own curiosity, reach out to a few Labs to do food testing and ask them for a quote to complete a 16 point Certificate of Analysis (COA) to support the Nutritional Information Panel (NIP) and also have the samples tested for a handful of common minerals, disease producing microorganisms (and their toxins), heavy metals, and shelf life. Once you get the quotes for these, ask yourself, ‘Do I believe that the Seller would have done this work?’ and go with your gut.

      To give you some context behind our stance with this, I’ll share an experience we had. We have trimmed back some of the data we previously shared openly online that was provided after we had our current batch of Sea Moss assessed (there were other samples from other places around the world that failed the same Lab tests), as this has been hijacked by another Seller and used on a product that was not what had been assessed. They basically took our data and told their Customers that this is what you are consuming – effectively lying about what their Sea Moss consisted of and the checks and balances that it had been put through.

      In the interests of protecting other people from this type of misleading behavior, and protecting what is our IP as an element of our business that was gathered by means of a significant investment, we have now only got a section of the report available online. Sadly, you can’t trust everyone who comes to your site to do the right thing.

      We do share the findings of the Lab assessments we have completed with the Seaweed Farmers we are engaging, and if we can, we also help connect them with other Seaweed Farmers to help them build a stronger community and a better quality product.

      As a result of what we had encountered with the Lab test results being hijacked, from a risk management perspective, we no longer share anything more than what is on the package as legally required in the form of the NIP, and the section which you’ll find on our product page where our Customer can buy Sea Moss online from us.

      I hope that the feedback you get is to a standard that you feel happy with, and that you are consuming a product you feel assured is safe. I’ll keep an eye out for the pictures.

      Take care!

  36. Hello, I had brought some dried sea moss to make. I followed the direction on Google website on how to make it. When the cleaning process was done, soak moss overnight, wash again then blend moss with spring water. When done, my sea moss was gel, taste bland,and dose not have a smell. The recipe did say that it might have a mild fishy smell or a mild after taste. I was curious if I done everything right to prepare my sea moss.

    • Well done Toria, sounds like your Sea Moss Gel is perfect.

      When Sea Moss is blended into a gel, it has very little taste or flavour. This is why it is such a great all rounded addition to any meal. I like to add my Sea Moss Gel to smoothies, hot chocolate, coffee, soups, gravys, cakes and deserts. There are so many wonderful options. Some people like to consume their Sea Moss Gel with citrus fruit juice because the Vitamin C help with iron absorption.

      Some people may smell or taste a faint fishiness or saltiness. Sometimes, I do to. This is because Sea Moss is a sea vegetable and grows in the ocean. If you don’t like the smell or taste of your Sea Moss, it is best to add it to a recipe. Here are some Sea Moss recipe ideas.

      If your Sea Moss Gel has been sitting in the fridge for a while and it’s starting to get a funky smell, that’s another discussion. I would suggest that it may be pasted it’s use by date and it’s time to soak a fresh batch. 😉

  37. How long do you soak your sea moss and when I use limes or lemons when soaking the sea moss it seems to taste better, less salty and fishy. Is this ok?

    • Hello Wayne,

      I soak the Sea Moss for about 48 hours. I can’t say that I’ve tried using limes or lemons when soaking the Sea Moss, but I imagine that the citric acid would help to break down the Sea Moss quicker. Start by reducing the times by 12 to 24 hours and check the firmness of the Sea Moss with your fingers. If it’s easy to break with your fingers then it’s probably ready to be blended into a gel.

      Keep in mind that the effectiveness of Vitamin C starts to deteriorate with heat, light, and air. The benefits of Vitamin C can be destroyed during food preparation. Vitamin C is typically added to Sea Moss to help with iron absorption. If you are consuming the lemons or limes with Sea Moss to improve your iron absorption, it is best to add it just before consuming.

      As far as the taste goes, make sure that you wash the Sea Moss really well. Personally, I’ve never found the Sea Moss to taste fishy or salty. However, I have found that when we’ve had the Sea Moss Gel in the fridge for a long time, say three weeks, then it can get a strange oader which could be perceived to smell fishy or salty.

    • Hello Kassy,

      Some flavors will extend the shelf life a little more, while others, depending what they are and what is in them, may cause some reactions that you probably don’t expect.

      With so many different types of flavors available, and so many different ways of making them, this is more likely to be a hit and miss experiment in your kitchen than an accurate answer from me.

      What I can share with you is that one of our Readers told us about how adding pineapple juice to her Sea Moss Gel caused it to explode. Now I’m inclined to think that this was either an aggressive type of fermentation in the pineapple juice, or what she was calling juice might be known as soda to others. I can’t say for sure as I haven’t had clarification.

      Many people add flavors for the sake of taste, and that’s probably the best intention if you’re going to do this. If you find that the shelf life of your gel is extended as a result, then I’m sure that many people here would love to hear about what you did so they can get even more out of their Sea Moss too!

      I use my Sea Moss Gel as a topical application every night and every morning. I make my own with the same Sea Moss that you can buy through our store.

      To keep this lasting longer I use a blend of essential oils that I like. Typically this is a mix of the following and can include up to three of them in any one blend at the most: Clary Sage, Vetiver, Cedar, Cypress, Frankincense, or Myrrh. I do this for a range of benefits, but I find that the calming tones in these are really pleasing and help me center as I connect with them.

      I’ve found that any number of these can see a blend of gel sit in a 100ml pump pack on my bathroom counter for 4 to 6 weeks (if I don’t use it all up before then; which I typically do). But you get my meaning, this takes the shelf life from 3 days on a shelf in an ambient temperature to as long a 6 weeks from my testing.

      I hope this helps you.

  38. Hi my friend made me a batch of seamoss but it’s grainy and very salty. I just got it and I hate to waste it. Is there anyway I can save it?

    • Hello Precious,

      By grainy do you mean there are chunky pieces of sea moss still in the gel? If so, you could try blending this again to break them down. If it is grainy, like sand grains, I would guess that the person who made the gel didn’t prepare the sea moss properly first. In that case I would be reluctant to use it myself.

      I hope this helps.

  39. I soaked sea moss for 2 days, but Im still not ready to use it, does it need to stay in water, in the fridge or out?

    • Hi Kelly,

      I personally wouldn’t soak my Sea Moss for any longer than 3-4 days, as it can become slimy and quite smelly. If your Sea Moss gets to this stage, the Sea Moss is not recommended for use.

      If you are not yet ready to use it, I would still blend it into a gel where you give yourself roughly 2-3 weeks to consume it, rather than a couple of days.

      As for the fridge, once your Sea Moss is in a gel form, ensure it is kept in the fridge for maximum shelf life.

      In its raw form, it will depend on your environment. If you live in a warm climate, Sea Moss soaked and left outside the fridge can go bad while soaking. I would recommend keeping it in a cooler room of your house or in the fridge. If you are in a cool or temperate climate then you should be able to leave your Sea Moss on the bench while soaking.

      Hope this helps!

  40. Hello. I made my sea moss gel after soaking for 48 hours in my beloved Vitamix. The gel consistency was perfect…no lumps at all. While I do realize that it does thicken after being refrigerated mine turned into something I could actually cut into squares. I don’t see how this is easily usable to add to anything. I put it back in my Vitamix with additional water and it turned smooth again but then I put it back in the refrigerator it turned into something I could cut !! Is this the way it’s supposed to be? I was under the impression that it should always be scoopable to add to anything.

    • Hi Angie,

      This is not a problem I have come across personally in the years I have been using Sea Moss.

      My guess could be one of two things:

      1. The fridge is set too cold, and the Sea Moss gel is almost freezing (turning into a solid).
      2. You may still need to add more water. If you have a runny consistency before placing into the fridge, then it might be the fridge settings.

      You can still use the Sea Moss squares depending on how hard the squares are. If used as a topical, you could break it down using your hands then apply to your skin. As a food, it sounds like the square should still be suitable for use with cooking or a cup of tea if it can be broken apart.

      Hope this helps!

  41. Hi,

    I opened my – refrigerated – jar of ready made Sea Moss Gel to find a thin layer of white cloudy discolouration.

    I removed the layer (and deeper) to find beneath smells fine and looks normal.

    Will it be okay to consume?

    To be honest, besides the thin cloudy top there was nothing else different. It smelled fine.
    It has been untouched for a few weeks though. 🙈

    Thank you in advance!

    • Hi Simone,

      I would be sceptical about using your Sea Moss gel.

      I’ve never seen a white cloudy discolouration with Sea Moss gel, but I’ve never gone more than a day or two without stirring my gel.

      It could just be because the product was sitting unused for a length of time, or it might be a growth of sorts you shouldn’t consume. Without knowing which of the two it could be, I would personally not use it and soak myself a new batch of Sea Moss.

      If you plan to consume the gel anyway, the smell of your gel will be the big indicator if your gel has expired. There will be no mistaking when the gel has expired, it will smell extremely beachy.

      You should get 2-3 weeks shelf life on Sea Moss gel when stored refrigerated.

      Hope this helps!

    • Hey Libby,

      Thank you for your question. Vacuum sealing will achieve extracting as much air out of the packaging as possible, however, I am inclined to think that you’ll experience a very messy process as the fluid could be sucked in to the sealing unit. Alternatively, you could use food grade nitrogen to force the oxygen out of the container before sealing.

      This is a common practice in many food manufacturing operations. Nitrogen makes up a very large percentage of the air we breathe, however, when working with this you need to be careful because you may risk asphyxiation particularly if working with large quantities of this in a small and poorly ventilated space. As an inert gas it is heavier than oxygen (the oxygen is what will cause deterioration to speed up) and when used in a tank where you flood the area with nitrogen, the oxygen is pushed up and out.

      If you do choose to explore this, please be careful as the gas can cause cold burns if you come into direct contact with it. Speak with a local gas supplier and make sure you consider all aspects of the MSDS first.

      There are other methods to extract the oxygen, such as oxygen displacement via oils (think sundried tomatoes), brine (think pickles and preserves in salty water – however, water does still have a small oxygen content that can cause problems), or oxygen absorbing sachets. But these approaches are likely to result in your gel becoming unusable.

      I hope this helps you.

Comments are closed.

Sci

About the Author

Matthew has been on an active journey towards living a healthy life from a young age. Influenced by his Grandmother, a practicing Naturopath who served her community from the 1940's to the 1980's, his views on living holistically were shaped from a young age. Growing up in different parts of Australia, his connection with the Ocean and a passion for sustainability comes through in everything he does and shares.

"I'm not a Doctor, and I don't play one on the Internet." - me

Item added to cart.
0 items - $0.00