The U.S. and EU bans on food cultivated from cells will not likely slow that industry.
The latest to weigh in is Israel-based Wanda Fish Ltd., out with its first cultivated bluefin tuna toro sashimi. It is said to create the buttery sensation of a true Bluefin Toro.
The cultivated sashimi will fulfill the burgeoning demand for bluefin tuna with a pollution-free, quality-consistent, and sustainable supply of the highly sought-after fish. According to Wanda Fish, the raw toro specialty is from the fish’s underbelly, which has the highest fat content and high omega-3 levels. This is intended to provide a unique buttery sensation, making it the fish’s most tender and desired meat.
Wanda Fish’s cell-cultivated sashimi is also said to possess the same sensory features of the wild-sourced toro sashimi. It is imbued with comparable nutritional richness, especially protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Science and investment capital seem to be driving Wanda Fish.
The company, closely associated with David Kaplan, Ph.D., a world-leading academic authority on cellular agriculture, was founded in 2021 and has attracted $10 million in investment capital.
Its relationship with Kaplan comes through an exclusive agreement with Tufts University in Boston. Last year, it announced its capital “seed round” of $7.1 million, with AquaSpark leading the round and joined by additional investors Strauss Group’s The Kitchen Hub (the incubator nurturing Wanda Fish’s operations), Peregrine Ventu.