A new company in Russia is on track to produce a sturgeon analog made from fish cells grown in a lab.
Kazan, Russia-based ArtMeat is planning to enter the Russian market within three to four years, according to CEO Askar Latyshev.
The company chose sturgeon as its primary product due to its nutritional benefit, culinary demand, and high value, Latyshev told the Izvestia newspaper.
ArtMeat’s process involves collecting stem cells via biopsy from sturgeon juveniles, then placing them into a bioreactor with a supply of nutrients. At the proper temperature, the cellular mass grows into an artificial fish muscle that imitates the taste of an actual sturgeon, Latyshev said.
Initial testing has been successful, the company has managed to grow a preproduction lot, according to the CEO. In its next step, ArtMeat is trying to speed up its growth process by experimenting with equipment and components, in particular, carbon dioxide, amino acids, and glucose, Latyshev said. In parallel, the company has launched a series of experiments with fat cells, which are thought to be combined with muscle cells in future.
“We want to create an analog close to natural sturgeon meat, where it’s fat, which impacts the taste when cooking,” Latyshev said. “Moreover, fat and muscles cells grow faster when combined.”
At first, ArtMeat’s sturgeon analog will be more expensive in retail actual sturgeon, according to Latyshev. But he said he hoped his company will eventually be able to match the average shelf-price for sturgeon.
Several other companies around the globe are also working on cell-based seafood analogs, including San Diego, California, U.S.A.-based BlueNalu, which is developing products involving finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks; Finless Foods of Emeryville, California, aims to culture bluefin tuna cells; Wild Type, based in San Francisco, California, is working on cell-based salmon; and Singapore-based Shiok Meat sampled a small quantity of shumai dumplings made with lab-grown shrimp cells in April 2019.
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