Following growing demand for plant-based products, seafood analog makers have been launching unique products.
Maruha Nichiro-owned Seafood Connection rolled out a plant-based substitute for tuna and fish roe for sushi applications earlier this year. And Berkeley, California, U.S.A.-based Prime Roots recently introduced several plant-based meat and seafood analog raviolis – including “lobster” ravioli.
Urk, the Netherlands-based Seafood Connection, which introduced its Seacon sushi line in 2013, has formally introduced its Season Vegan line, which includes plant-based tuna substitute Iki Tunini and Iki Masagi, an alternative to fish roe, as saku blocks and tatakimi.
“Iki Tunini is completely free of fish ingredients and has a unique taste sensation which is close to real tuna,” Seafood Connections said.
Iki Masagi, based on seaweed extract, is designed so that “every pearl bursts open just like fish roe,” Seafood Connections said.
The Seacon Vegan line includes edamame (soybeans) and wakame (seaweed salad).
Meanwhile, Prime Roots is selling its first plant-based analog products via its online store and does not have plans for retail or foodservice distribution, company spokesperson Sonia Rodrigues told SeafoodSource.
Prime Roots' products are made with koji, an all-natural plant-based source of protein that provides “meaty umami notes and meaty texture,” the company said in a press release.
In addition to “lobster” ravioli, the company’s plant-based analog raviolis include: “chicken” and black truffle, “bacon” and butternut squash, “chicken” pesto and sun-dried tomato, and Italian “sausage.“
“After speaking with thousands of food lovers, co-founder Kimberlie Le discovered that ravioli was the ultimate comfort meal that people craved and wanted to enjoy in a fresh, convenient, ready-to-heat, plant-based meat and seafood format,” Rodrigues said.
Prime Roots, formerly known as Terramino Foods, conducted an extensive consumer voting initiative to help it determine which products to develop.
Another start-up, Burlingame, California-based Jinka, is selling Vegan Tuna Spread in three flavors: Original, Lemon & Dill, and Spicy.
According to the supplier, the Vegan Tuna Spread contains 14 grams of plant-based protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and no cholesterol or trans fats.
Photo courtesy of Prime Roots
