Over the recent years, the global seafood market has reached hundreds of billions of dollars and is predicted to increase. This reflects the increasing demand for seafood of different varieties, but it also means that commercial fishing practices will significantly affect marine biodiversity. To address this challenge, various companies produce plant-based seafood using alternative ingredients.
Plant-Based Seafood Analogs
People worldwide eat a lot of seafood, but the oceans have only a limited supply. Many fish populations have been depleted by overfishing and the lack of sustainability, water contamination, and other ethical concerns. Because of this, seafood lovers are pushed towards plant-based sources, but these alternatives are still difficult to find.
There are mock seafood products that are already available in the market. However, experts find using vegetables or fungi that mimic the nutritional content, textures, and flavors challenging.
A research group at the National University of Singapore developed a new method of producing desirable vegan seafood which can taste good but still maintains the health benefits of a real fish. They aim to create protein-based products which do not only nutritionally equivalent to authentic seafood but can also address the challenge of food sustainability.
Led by principal investigator Dejian Huang, the team used legume protein to develop better seafood alternatives. To mimic the flakiness and texture of a real fish, they used a food-grade 3D printer with protein-based ink. Different textures are created in a single product as the edible ink layer is deposited layer by layer.
The researchers used two sustainable, high-protein plant sources: microalgae and mung beans. These were extracted in the laboratory and combined with plant-based oils containing omega-3 fatty acids. Huang and his team have printed salmon filets using red lentils, and they have also published shrimp. Now, they plan to print calamari rings since it has the potential for commercialization.
The high-protein vegan paste achieved a nutritional profile similar to calamari rings from actual squid. The researchers also subjected the paste to temperature changes to allow it to be layered into rings. Then they evaluated its smell, taste, and appearance.
It was found that the seafood mimic resembles the structure and texture of the actual product, but consumers still prefer to cook it as they do with real squid. The initial cooking test allowed the plant-based calamari to demonstrate acceptable taste and promising texture.
Microalgae as Food Source
Microalgae refer to microscopic algae, usually found in freshwater and marine systems. As unicellular species, they either exist individually or as part of chains or groups. Their size can change from a few micrometers to a few hundreds of micrometers.
This algae species does not possess roots, stems, and leaves like higher forms of plants. However, they can carry out photosynthesis and generate almost half of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere. They can also simultaneously use carbon dioxide for their photoautotrophic growth.
Microalgae are a good source of valuable foods and ingredients such as lipids, proteins, and bioactive compounds. As protein is crucial for human health, the potential of microalgae as a source of protein has been highlighted and studied.
Aside from proteins, microalgae are also rich in carotenoids and vitamins. In addition, they are also found to have high antioxidant capacity. With all these health benefits, microalgae are c currently considered one of the most sustainable sources of food ingredients.
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