An Israeli company has created the world’s first cultivated fish fillet that allegedly tastes just like natural fish.
Israeli firm Steakholder Foods say they’ve 3D bio-printed ready-to-cook cultivated grouper.
They boast the taste and texture is the same as traditionally caught fish, but does not harm the environment.
The ‘deep tech food company’ believe the innovation will introduce sustainable solutions that increase food security.
The product was achieved using grouper fish cells from partner company Umami Meats, which are used in customised bio-inks.
Steakholder then worked on optimising the taste and texture of its printed grouper, towards finalising a prototype.
A tasting event at their Israel facilities included a ‘grouper fish chef’s table’, with delicacies prepared by the company’s chef, Moran Lidor, including Singaporean-style and Israeli-style signature fish dishes.
Mihir Pershad, CEO of Umami Meats: ‘We are delighted to have produced the world’s first whole fillet cultivated fish in partnership with Steakholder Foods. In this first tasting, we showcased a cultivated product that flakes, tastes, and melts in your mouth exactly like excellent fish should. In the coming months, we intend to announce our plans for bringing this world-class cultivated fish to the market.’
Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods: ‘We’re excited to be working with Umami Meats to develop 3D-printed structured fish products that have the same great taste and texture as traditionally caught fish, without harming the environment.
‘With an estimated size of $110 billion and projected growth of 3-4% annually in the near future, the seafood and fish market is a long-time part of our vision for introducing sustainable solutions that increase food security.
‘Having created a customised bio-ink that works effectively with Umami’s cells and optimised the taste and texture to meet the high standards of consumers, we anticipate expanding our collaborations to a greater variety of species with additional partners.’
Steakholder are developing slaughter-free solutions for producing a variety of beef, and seafood products – both as raw materials and whole cuts – as an alternative to industrialised farming and fishing
Unlike fully cultivated meat products which still require incubation and maturation after printing, the grouper fish product is ready to cook after printing, thanks to Steakholder Foods’ unique technology that allows the mimicking of the flaky texture of cooked fish – a technology that is the subject of a provisional patent application.
Steakholder say by customising its bio-inks to an external cell line, the company has opened the door to a wide variety of potential collaborations along the path to commercialising its 3D bio-printer.
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