Alt-fish innovators widen net on ocean-friendly offerings as overfishing concerns escalate

07 Apr 2023 --- Traditionally, fish is eaten on Good Friday, in the run-up to the Easter weekend festivities. This year, FoodIngredientsFirst looks at seafood offerings and with advancements in plant-based protein space, the alt-seafood category is brimming with new possibilities. This comes as environmental concerns intrinsically linked to fish and seafood consumption gather pace as consumers demand more ocean-friendly options.

US-based Aqua Cultured Foods is developing calamari, shrimp, scallops, and filets of tuna and whitefish using proprietary mycoprotein fermentation processes that do not use any animal inputs.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Anne Palermo, CEO, says consumers are increasingly aware of how unsustainable the commercial fishing industry is. 

“Consumers see a clear through-line from environmental concerns to seafood consumption. They have shown they are willing to change their seafood habits based on new information, such as the movement toward ‘dolphin-safe’ tuna and the concerns around microplastics. Most restaurant chains and distributors adhere to sustainability certifications or ratings, replacing red-listed species with ones considered more responsibly sourced.”

Aqua’s alt-seafood retains its naturally occurring fiber, protein and other micronutrients. (Credit: Aqua Cultured Foods)However, Palermo expresses that the alt-seafood category is “not very mature yet.”

Currently available plant-based products largely use starches or legumes, she underscores. “Legumes like soy, pea, and their isolates add potent off-flavors, ‘green’ and beany notes that must be masked with additives, primarily sodium. Their texture is acceptable for formats like a crab cake or a fish stick, but not much else. Products made with starches like konjac are trying to deliver a realistic texture, but they lack nutrients, primarily protein, that people expect,” she flags.

“Ultra-realistic” alternative
Palermo believes that Aqua Cultured has solved challenges related to texture, flavor, appearance and nutritional value of alt-seafood. “Our products can be used as a one-to-one replacement so that we can categorize them as ultra-realistic.”

“The biggest challenge is achieving a realistic texture,” she outlines. “Texture is essential in seafood alternatives, and the bar is much higher than a burger or a chicken nugget. I had to develop completely new methods to achieve the delicate textures I was looking for. A second and related challenge is delivering a whole or muscle cut versus a ground texture. Even cell-cultured seafood has found this difficult,” she continues.

The company uses a liquid feedstock inoculated with its proprietary strain of microbes. 

“As we change the inputs like the feedstock, the environmental conditions like temperature and humidity, or the growing period, we can achieve different textures and even nutritional profiles. This allows us to produce different varieties of ‘fish’ or ‘shellfish,’” Palermo comments. 

Aqua’s alt-seafood retains its naturally occurring fiber, protein, and other micronutrients, unlike plant-based processed foods formulated with starches and protein isolates. The company also produces minced “seafood” fillings for applications such as dumplings, ravioli, and sushi rolls.  

Aqua Cultured has several development partnerships in place. “We foresee co-branded products, for example, our shrimp filling for dumplings is made in a bulk, unseasoned format for partners to customize preparations, which then can be packaged and co-branded,” explains Palermo. 

“We will start in the US and then expand. Interest from Europe and Asia is off the charts,” she adds.  

The company has raised US$5.5 million in seed funding to bring its seafood alternatives to market.  

The round was led by Stray Dog Capital, a venture capital fund specializing in alternative protein investments, with participation from H Venture Partners,Aqua is developing calamari, shrimp and scallops with proprietary mycoprotein fermentation processes that do not use any animal inputs, genetic altering or modification. Aztec Capital Management and Amplifica Capital, along with follow-on investment from current investors Supply Change Capital, Big Idea Ventures, HPA, Aera VC, Kingfisher Family Investments and Swiss Pampa. 

The round also included a strategic investment from CJ CheilJedang, a South Korea-based global food and bio company owning renowned brands such as Bibigo.  

Aqua will use the investment to equip its new facility, scale up production, bring products to market, add key talent, and expand its roster of restaurant and foodservice outlets for product introductions this year. 

“Salmonish” burgers unveiled
Meanwhile, The Ish Company, a start-up developing plant-based seafood alternatives, launched a new product to its flagship range, the Salmonish Burgers. 

The alternative salmon burger will be distributed throughout North America via Dot Foods, the largest foodservice redistribution company in the US. 

Salmonish Burgers are the third product in the company’s portfolio, following its other flagship products, Shrimpish and Shrimpish Crumbles. 

“Traditional salmon is the second most-consumed seafood after shrimp in the US, so it made sense for us to continue to meet consumer demands by creating plant-based versions of seafood favorites,” Christie Fleming, president and chief operating officer, tells us.

“Farmed salmon are commonly riddled with parasites, disease, and pesticides before landing on your plate. Despite this, the demand for salmon worldwide continues to grow, causing supply-chain and farming constraints, plateauing wild fish stocks and increased climate change impacts.”

A healthier fish alternative?
The Salmonish Burgers are made with 100% plant-based, vegan ingredients. 

Each serving provides 14 g of protein and 300 mg of omega 3 fatty acids. The recipe also includes kelp, an ocean-regenerating ingredient high in minerals. 

“The Salmonish product is served as a burger for convenience and accessibility, as many consumers are intimidated by the thought of cooking fish filets or pieces,” adds Fleming. 

Salmonish Burgers are the third product in the company’s portfolio and will be available through a distribution deal with Dot Foods. (Credit: The Ish Company)“Our R&D team applied their expertise in flavor, texture and sustainability to create multiple versions by hand for team evaluation before proceeding with several rigorous manufacturing trials.”

The result provides a healthy and tasty salmon burger that exceeds consumers’ expectations of seafood protein.

The prevalence of traditional salmon and burgers came together to inspire the making of Salmonish Burgers as a more convenient and easy-to-prepare product for consumers. 

Plant-based market primed for growth 
Fleming believes the plant-based seafood market is primed for “exponential growth.” Given the popularity of salmon, The Ish Company has “a great opportunity to help consumers make more mindful food choices,” she states. 

The carbon footprint from the production and consumption of Salmonish is 5.6 times lower than traditional salmon and 44.9 times lower than beef.

This announcement comes on the heels of The Ish Company’s US$5 million seed funding round in January, led by ACCELR8 with participation from Stray Dog Capital and multiple angel investors.

The company has raised a total of nearly US$10 million to date. The funds were primarily used to help the company continue to create more innovative products, allowing for the swift launch of Salmonish Burgers.

“We have been using the seed funding to support all of the company’s growth areas, including product innovation. Ish currently has over 25 additional plant-based seafood products in the works, including crab, lobster and cod,” Fleming explains. 

Ish will continue to work with Dot Foods as its strategic partner for distribution as the company launches new products.

Current products are available to consumers through Dot Foods and in various restaurants, colleges, and universities nationwide. 

Spotlight on fish stocks
Notably, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of how unsustainable the commercial fishing industry is and are seeking alternative ways to consume ocean-friendly alternatives.Consumers are becoming aware of how unsustainable the commercial fishing industry is.

In addition to depleted fish populations, commercial fishing practices damage ecosystems, plastic waste, and the “bycatch” of non-target species. As fish farming increases, so does habitat destruction, pollution and diseases spread to wild fish and the industry’s reliance on antibiotics and wild-caught fish for feed. 

Despite its health halo, fish can contain microplastics, mercury, pesticides and antibiotics. 

The Global Tuna Alliance, Tuna Protection Alliance, WWF and their participating market partners have recently launched a campaign urging the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission to rebuild yellowfin tuna stocks, which have been overfished in the Indian Ocean since 2015, with overfishing still occurring. 

This comes amid mackerel being labeled as “an unsustainable” food source. Earlier this week, The Marine Conservation Society revealed that Northeast Atlantic mackerel has moved on to its amber list, having been on the charity’s green list since before 2011.

By Elizabeth Green