Seeking to offer a sustainable seafood source without the need for slaughter, Berlin-based food tech company, Bluu Seafood, is to launch its first range of cell-based fish by the end of this year.
The first products to launch will include Atlantic Salmon, Common Carp, and Rainbow Trout.
According to the company, it cultivates products like fish balls, fish sticks, and fillets directly from fish cells, in a clean, energy-efficient, and nutrient-optimised environment. Unlike wild-caught or farmed seafood, the products are free from microplastics, antibiotics, heavy metals, pollutants, and other environmental toxins.
“Producing cultivated seafood with high nutritional value and ideal taste at competitive prices without harming the ecosystem can make a critical contribution to feeding a large portion of humanity in the future,” said Simon Fabich, co-founder and MD, Bluu Seafood.
Annual growth in fish consumption has been twice as high as population growth since 1961. With nearly US$1 billion in annual sales, the seafood sector makes the largest share in the $2.8 billion animal protein market.
However, while demand continues to grow, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN FAO) warns that more than 90 per cent of wild fisheries are overfished and harvested at maximum capacity, with a risk of significant biodiversity loss by 2048.
As a technology pioneer, the company aims to produce high-quality, sustainable fish products from cell cultures with high nutritional value and the same taste, texture, and cooking characteristics comparable to wild-caught or farmed fish.
“Cultivated seafood is the better alternative for those with a conscious, sustainable lifestyle who enjoy eating seafood but care about the environment“, added Sebastian Rakers, co-founder and CEO, Bluu Seafood.
“It is also an alternative for vegetarians who avoid animal products due to animal welfare concerns, and it is a sustainable option to help protect marine ecosystems.”
Bluu Seafood will be ready for market entry with its first range of products next year, provided regulatory approval by region – the US, EU, and Apac – is given.
