The study of botany goes back into pre-history as plants were the food of people from the beginning of the human race. The first attempts at plant cultivation are believed to have been made shortly before 10,000 BC in Western Asia (Morton, 1981)[1] and the first references to algae are to be found in early Chinese literature. Records as far back as 3000 BC indicate that algae were used by the emperor of China as food (Huisman, 2000 p. 13).[2] The use of Porphyra in China dates back to at least A.D. 533–44 (Mumfard and Miura, 1988),[3] there are also references in Roman and Greek literature.