Could Synthetic Fish Replace the Real Thing?

Overexploitation is a pressing threat to the survival of many species, whether animals or plants. As a result, a decreasing amount of numbers to species has caused numerous people to rethink many aspects of their daily lives, though some of the changes might be more surprising than others.

Fish is a large part of many diets, as it is filled with omega-3 and vitamins D and B2. It's a nutrient protein that seems plentiful beyond reason, though this is not the case. The amount of seafood consumed around the world is around 143.8 million tons per year globally, and the global consumption footprint for both consumption and other uses is around 154 million tons per year. At this rate, the amount of fish born per year can not keep up with the amount of fish consumed per year. However, there is a way that people can still enjoy the pleasantries of eating fish without affecting the species chances of survival.

A few start-up firms have started to expiremently grow fish “meat” in their lab. Mainly based in Silicon Valley, Finless Foods has found a way to take fish stem cells and grow them to the quantities of commercial edible fish. The stem cells, found in embryos or adult beings, can grow into other specialized cells. One of these is the muscle cells, which make up the majority of the fish that is consumed. “Picture it as 3D printing, but we’re 3D printing fish.” Micheal Seldan explains, the chief executive and co-founder of lab-grown fish start-up Finless Foods. His company would make ground faux fish, since making a fillet with all of its components is not yet feasible.

This innovation poses the question of whether people will be open to consuming artificially made fish. Fish are usually seen in a fillet form since that is where the best cut of meat comes from. With this new invention, fillets would not be present. Faux proteins themselves have had a relatively large success, especially in the vegetarian and vegan communities. Though this faux fish wouldn’t fall under the jurisdiction of veganism, it could also be a viable alternative for vegetarians. Faux protein is an innovative idea, and many are excited about what else could be made through this process as well.