Your Attention Please‏

One of the ingredients in the Monk Dish (also known as Buddhist
Delight Vegetables) in Chinese cooking is black sea moss, a hairlike
fungus called "fa cai" in Pinyin and "fat choy" in Cantonese.
Recently, the Department of Biochemistry at the Chinese University
of Hong Kong reported that, International research team found black
sea moss to contain a toxic amino acid that could affect the normal
function of nerve cells. Eating black sea moss could lead to
degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and
dementia. (Source: The Straits Times, Wednesday January 31, 2007)
FYI, didn't find anything in Snopes on this but found the following
on "Google":HK Group Calls for Total Ban on Fat cai
Thursday, 1. March 2007, 20:59:38
Food, News
A group of Hong Kong researchers has called for a total ban on the
sale of fa cai — a hair like sea moss that is widely consumed
during Chinese New Year.
The team from the Chinese University's department of biochemistry
said international research showed that the plant - known as Nostoc
or black moss in English - not only has no nutritional value but has
also been found to contain a toxic amino acid that could affect the
normal functions of nerve cells.
Eating black moss could lead to degenerative diseases such as
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and dementia, Professor Chan King Ming of
the team told the media on Monday, the Standard newspaper reported.
China banned all exports of black moss in 2000 after listing it as
endangered species.
But Hong Kong has yet to ban the sale of black moss, keeping alive a
demand that has encouraged cultivation of the plant in the mainland,
Prof Chan said.
Black moss is widely eaten in Hong Kong during Chinese New Year,
mainly because its Chinese name, fa cai - is homonymous with
"prosperity" in Cantonese and Mandarin.