In a groundbreaking development, Forsea Foods in Israel has successfully produced lab-grown freshwater eel meat, providing a potential resolution to the critical issue of overfishing. With eel populations dwindling and prices soaring, this innovative approach offers a sustainable and guilt-free alternative for consumers, as reported by the Guardian.
Forsea Foods achieved this scientific feat by cultivating eel meat from embryonic cells of the Japanese unagi eel.
Collaborating with a Japanese chef, the company crafted delectable dishes like unagi kabayaki and unagi nigiri, introducing a novel dimension to traditional cuisine with lab-grown eel.
Scaling up for market impact
With ambitions to expand production, Forsea Foods aims to make cultivated eel available for purchase within the next two years.
Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has also shown support in the recent past for the cultivated meat industry, signalling a global shift towards sustainable alternatives.
The company envisions the price of cultivated eel aligning with that of wild-caught eel, currently priced at $250 per kg in Japan.
Addressing the crisis
Overfishing and pollution have precipitated a significant decline in eel populations globally, leading to illegal trafficking valued at billions of dollars. In Japan, eel consumption has witnessed an 80 per cent decline since 2000.
Forsea Foods uses organoids, miniature tissue bundles initially designed for medical research, to produce cultivated eel meat.
These organoids, developed from embryonic stem cells extracted from fertilised eel eggs, possess self-organising properties that faithfully mimic the structure of real meat.
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Unlike other approaches, this technique minimises the use of expensive growth factors and scaffolds, making it particularly suitable for fish and seafood.
With a lower environmental footprint compared to conventional livestock products, cultivated meat represents a significant stride toward reducing humanity’s impact on the planet.
(With inputs from agencies)