Upstream Foods develops cultivated salmon fat

© Upstream Foods

Upstream Foods Develops Cultivated Salmon Fat to Improve Taste of Alt Seafood

Dutch startup Upstream Foods is developing cultivated salmon fat that could be used to give plant-based seafood the same flavor and mouthfeel as conventional fish. The fat is made by taking cells from living fish via a biopsy and using them to produce stem cells. These stem cells can then become fat cells, multiplying many times in a bioreactor so that one sample can produce a large quantity of cultivated fat. Finally, the cells are combined with a plant-based matrix. While the technology is already used in the pharmaceutical industry, it is not yet widely used in food production. Upstream Foods is currently operating from the Wageningen University and Research campus, but is searching for a larger lab to allow it to combine food and …

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E-FISHient Protein

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E-FISHient Protein Nominated for Awards as it Cultivates “Improved” Tilapia Fish Meat

Israel’s E-FISHient Protein was founded last year as part of a collaboration between Bio Meat Foodtech and the Volcani Institute. The startup is working to produce cultivated tilapia, one of the most widely consumed types of fish worldwide with a market value of over $14Bn. The aim is for the product to not just match but improve on the quality of conventional tilapia; it will be lower in calories, richer in protein and omega-3, and better-tasting. While the work is still in its early stages, E-FISHient has already been recognised for its innovation. The company was a semifinalist in this year’s Aviram Awards, which support ventures in the MENA region. It was also one of six finalists in the FoodTech 2022 competition by Tnuva and …

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Korea's CellQua secures funds for "next-gen" cell-based fisheries

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South Korea’s CellQua Secures Investment for “Next-Gen” Cell-Based Fisheries

CellQua, a cultivated seafood startup from South Korea, has secured undisclosed seed funding from Sopoong Ventures, a social impact-focused VC that supports climate and agrifood tech entrepreneurs in South Korea and Southeast Asia. “We are a team of experts in fishery science and computer technology, dedicated to transforming the industry and creating a better future. We are pioneering the way in the next generation of fisheries,” says CellQua. With the newly raised capital, CellQua plans to build a system to automate and simplify its cultivated seafood manufacturing to enable a better research environment. Additionally, it will use the funds to grow its workforce. Cell-based fishing without FBS Founded in August 2021 by Sangyoon Lee, aPhD. in Fisheries Science, and Sangyup Lee, a computer vision engineer, CellQua …

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GOOD Cultured Meat

© Eat Just Inc.

FDA Commissioner Calls Biotech in Food a “Huge Interest” for the Agency, Sparking Anger from US Cattle Industry

During a March 29 budget hearing for the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf made references to climate change and suggested that the use of biotechnology in food (including cell-cultured meat) was an area of “huge interest” that could help mitigate these issues. Califf’s comments quickly sparked outrage from the US cattle industry, who accused the commissioner of inappropriately promoting an environmental policy and endorsing cultivated meat products.  On Wednesday, Califf testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. During the hearing, Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) asked the Commissioner how the agency plans to coordinate with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on pre-market consultation for reviewing cell-cultured chicken products.  In response, Califf …

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Cult Foods

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Investor Marc Lustig Acquires 15% of CULT Food Science, Becomes Largest Individual Shareholder

CULT Food Science (CSE: CULT) (OTC: CULTF),  an investment platform focused on cellular agriculture, announces Canadian entrepreneur Marc Lustig has acquired 15% of the company through his family office L5 Capital Inc. The transaction makes Mr. Lustig the company’s largest individual shareholder.  Described as an esteemed entrepreneur with a background in biotech, life sciences and cannabis, Lustig previously worked as an institutional investment banker across Canada and Europe, prior to founding his own ventures. Transaction details In a statement, CULT revealed that Lustig acquired an aggregate of 27,518,900 common shares and 30,725,000 common share purchase warrants of Cult Food Science in private transactions. Under the transactions, a company controlled by Lustig paid an aggregate of $752,335.81, representing a price of 2.5 cents per share and …

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BlueNalu's cultivated seafood

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BlueNalu & Nutreco Join Forces to Create Cell Feed Supply Chain for Cultivated Seafood

US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Nutreco, a global leader in animal nutrition and aquafeed, to establish and scale up a food-grade, cell feed supply chain for cultivated seafood manufacturing. “At Nutreco, it is our purpose to feed the growing global population in a safe and sustainable way, and we understand the important role cell-cultured proteins can play in addressing this global challenge,” said Joost Matthijssen, CSO at Nutreco.  From pharma to food-grade ingredients The agreed collaboration includes an initial phase in which BlueNalu and Nutreco will join forces to reduce cell feed costs. Nutreco will focus on developing its food-grade supply chain infrastructure parallel to BlueNalu’s production phases, which involve goals from pilot-scale development to regulatory stages and …

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umami meats' seafood

© Umami Meats

Umami Meats and Triplebar Join Forces to Improve Cell Lines for Cultivated Japanese Eel

Singaporean cultivated seafood company Umami Meats and California-based biotech firm Triplebar have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to collaborate on improving cell lines to produce cultivated seafood more efficiently and at a lower cost, starting with the Japanese eel.  Due to overfishing, ocean temperature surges, and ocean acidification, eels have become critically endangered in the wild. Furthermore, growing them using aquaculture is resource-intensive and environmentally hazardous.  “I’m certain that this collaboration between Umami Meats and Triplebar will accelerate the commercialization of cultivated seafood and the transition to a more robust and sustainable food system for everyone,” said Mihir Pershad, CEO of Umami Meats. Leveraging knowledge  Through this agreement, Umami Meats will leverage Triplebar’s screening system for solution discovery to test which cell lines have the correct properties to grow in a …

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bluu seafood cultivated salmon served on a black plate with lemon rinds

Bluu Seafood's cultivated sashimi © Bluu GmbH/Wim Jansen

GFI to Host Fish Cell Culture Workshop for Scientists to Focus on Rapid Advancement of Sector

Alternatives to fish and seafood, providing consumers with nutritious options that do not come from our vastly over-fished seas, witnessed a huge increase throughout 2022 both in demand and in interest from investors. Producers of cultivated fish and seafood are operating in all corners of the planet, with many stating they are ready for market launch pending regulatory approval. Some of the biggest names successfully producing cell-cultivated fish and seafood include: Wildtype – San Francisco USA Bluu Seafood (previously Bluu Biosciences) – Germany BlueNalu – San Diego Umami Meats – Singapore Shiok – Singapore Avant – China Addressing key challenges in cellular seafood In order to address key challenges facing the advancement of the alternative protein industry, The Good Food Institute is hosting a series …

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cultivated fish range

© Umami Meats

Steakholder Foods Receives First Grant to Develop Cultivated Eel and Grouper with Umami Meats

Israel-based Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) announces it has received its first grant of up to $1M to develop 3D-printed structured eel and grouper products with cultivated seafood startup Umami Meats.  The initiative is being funded by a grant from the Singapore Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD), a cooperation between – Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). According to Steakholder, the partnership with Umami Meats offers a unique opportunity for market entry in Singapore, the only country where cultivated meat has regulatory approval. The collaboration seeks to develop a scalable process for producing structured cultivated fish products. To create the fish, Steakholder will use newly developed technology for mimicking the flaky texture of cooked fish, which the startup recently submitted for a provisional …

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Wildtype salmon

© Wildtype

South Korea’s Third-Largest Conglomerate SK Invests $7M in Wildtype Cultivated Salmon

SK Inc., the investment arm of South Korea’s third-largest conglomerate SK Group, has announced a $7 million investment in US-based cultivated salmon producer Wildtype. The Korean firm explained that it is looking to increase its investments in companies with excellent environmental, social, and corporate governance credentials. The conglomerate also reveals that it is working to form a joint venture between Perfect Day and Korean dairy producer Maeli Dairies, with the intention that Maeli will manufacture, distribute, and sell products made with Perfect Day’s animal-free milk proteins. SK Chairman impressed by Wildtype visit “[Wildtype’s cultivated salmon] can dramatically reduce carbon dioxide emitted during the process of fishing, farming, and transportation, and protect the marine ecosystem that faces the risk of extinction with bycatch,” said Chey Tae-won, …

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cultured-meat-policies

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The UN Food and Agriculture Organization Assesses Safety and Regulations of Cultivated Meat

The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is now assessing important food safety and regulatory concerns regarding cultivated meat. The organization released several documents discussing food safety aspects of cultivated meat products, including language and terminologies, common production processes, and regulatory frameworks. Labeling and terminology The FAO points out that since cultivated meats represent an emerging commodity, the terminology used to describe its processes and products remain inconsistent. A literature review found the most common terms used by consumers and the industry are  “cell-based,” “cultivated,” and “cultured,” with some studies suggesting “cultivated” as the most appealing term.  Through its report, FAO aims to provide a basis for global policymakers to select consistent language for legislation and communication about cultivated meat. The organization also encourages …

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Umami Meats Announces Research Collab With Waters Corporation For Cultivated Fish

Umami Meats of Singapore today announces a research collaboration with food and nutrition scientists at Waters Corporation to develop laboratory methods for premium cultivated fish products. Umami Meats is focused on the cultivation of premium fish that are on the IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, are unsuitable for farming, and are endangered due to the overfishing of the oceans. In the past two months alone the company has made great strides including the filing of a “game-changing” patent for single-stem cell technology; a collaboration with Ingredion for cultivated fishcakes fillets; and the revealing of what it claims to be the world’s first cultivated fish ball laksa. Waters operates a world-class research laboratory in Singapore which facilitates collaborations with industry and academic …

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Supermeat Cultivated Chicken Sandwich

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SuperMeat Survey Reveals Nearly 90% of US Chefs Would Serve Cultivated Meat

A new survey conducted by food tech company SuperMeat discovered that 86% of American chefs are interested in serving cultivated meats, poultry or seafood to customers.  Conducted with market research consultancy Censuswide, the survey polled opinions from 251 US chefs and food professionals. The results found:  86% of chefs are interested in serving cultivated meat or poultry, with 22% of those saying they are “very interested” 84% would consider replacing conventional meat with cultivated meat on their menus if pricing were similar 77% would be willing to pay a premium for cultivated meats, with two-thirds willing to pay 11-15% more Those surveyed indicated food safety, concerns for the environment and customer demand were top motivators for adding cultivated meat to their menus.  Chicken is top …

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Forsea Foods

© Forsea Foods

Forsea Foods Raises $5.2M for Cultivated Eel, Will Inaugurate Pilot Plant in 2023

Israel’s Forsea Foods, which claims to be the first startup to use organoid technology for its cultivated seafood process, has raised $5.2 million in a seed round led by Berlin-based Target Global. The new funding will accelerate R&D for cultivating eel meat, the company’s first targeted species, and the development of other fish. Forsea explains it has plans to inaugurate a pilot plant in 2023, allowing the company to create a preliminary design for a large-scale alpha production system and launch its first products. Non-GMO organoid technology According to Forsea, the company has developed a non-GMO organoid technology platform in which eel meat is grown ex vivo as a three-dimensional tissue structure without requiring the scaffolding stage. Forsea highlights that its organoid platform requires fewer bioreactors and growth …

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cultivated fish range

© Umami Meats

Umami Meats and Ingredion Co-Develop Cultivated Fish Cakes & Fillets

Singapore-based cultivated seafood startup Umami Meats is set to host a private launch event showcasing the company’s first cultivated fish structured prototypes developed in partnership with US-based food solutions company Ingredion. Thai-style fish cakes and battered fish fillets made with cultivated fish cells using Umami’s proprietary technology will debut at the event. Products for high-end restaurants Mihir Pershad, Umami Meats’ founder and CEO, said: “We’re excited to be able to showcase our first structured prototypes. With this product showcase, our goal is to demonstrate the versatility of our cultivated fish and the wide range of desirable, structured products that we plan to supply via high-end restaurants as progressive regulatory changes occur in each of our target launch markets.” The partnership with Ingredion, which was announced during …

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