Turning tides: Maruha Nichiro and Umami Bioworks make waves in cultivated seafood with new deal

31 Aug 2023 --- In the wake of the current overfishing crisis, seafood giant Maruha Nichiro is collaborating with Umami Bioworks to develop and commercialize cultivated seafood in Japan. By producing “not-caught” seafood, the alliance aims to accelerate the novel ETP (endangered, threatened and protected) species with global relevance.

The transaction marks the first time a notable Japanese seafood company has invested in and collaborated with a foreign cell-cultivated seafood company to accelerate viable commercial-scale production and ensure a sustainable and stable supply of locally produced seafood.

Financial details of the deal have not been revealed. 

Maruha Nichiro is one of the largest fishery, aquaculture and food processing companies in the world and dates back to the late 1800s. 

“Our seminal partnership with Maruha Nichiro, a global leader in crafting beloved food products, is a pivotal step in achieving our mission of addressing the challenge of feeding a growing global population while minimizing environmental impact,” says Mihir Pershad, CEO of Umami Bioworks and a fish cell line expert. 

Singapore-based Umami Bioworks (formerly known as Umami Meats) plans to leverage the investment to “expedite” its long-term plan of building a research and commercial team in Japan. In turn, Maruha Nichiro will have a “third method” of sustainable production, other than fishing and aquaculture, for increasingly scarce seafood species, notes the company.

Sea woes
Major setbacks, such as China’s recent ban on Japanese seafood, spell trouble for the seafood industry, which is already grappling with supply shortages and price inflations.

The seafood industry is grappling with supply shortages and price inflations.Its impact can be gauged by a survey by Consumers Korea that states that more than 90% of South Koreans have lost their appetite for Japan’s fish since the wastewater release.

Unrestrained overfishing leads to the demise of marine species in many fishing hotspots worldwide, even driving some to extinction, which in turn leads to supply shortages.

“While the demand for seafood has been growing worldwide, supply shortages are becoming a huge risk due to overfishing and marine pollution. These challenges have led to decreasing wild-catch volumes, as well as health concerns around microplastics and heavy chemicals in seafood,” states Pershad.

According to a study, microplastics in seafood like mussels pose a significant risk to food security by reducing their growth rate.

Japan’s self-sufficiency rate for seafood “remains at a low level of 55%,” while the domestic wild-catch volumes have “decreased approximately 65% over the last 30 years,” underscores Umami Bioworks.

“This poses great risks to not only consumers but also the Japanese seafood industry, fishermen, and the overall economy.”

The problematic state of affairs has brought cultivated products into sharpened focus with global investment in cultivated products to the tune of US$2.8 billion in 2022, flags the cultivated food start-up.

However, it further states that Japanese companies still need to catch up in participating actively in this industry.

The cultivated seafood age beckons
Globally, alt-protein innovators are gearing up to protect food security by developing technologies that aim to give consumers the same texture and taste of seafood that they are used to.

Unrestrained overfishing leads to the demise of marine species in many fishing hotspots.For instance, Israel-based Steakholder Foods recently commercialized its 3-D fish bioprinting technology that replicates fish and seafood’s delicate, flaky texture.

Last year, Forsea Foods told Food Ingredients First that through its patented organoid technology, which helps the production of cell-based eel meat, it aims to relieve the bottleneck in seafood supply.

Other recent innovations in the alt-protein fish industry include using microalgae and mung bean protein to formulate 3D-printed ink to develop vegan calamari.

We recently caught up with Omeat, which highlighted the ethical challenge for the cultivated seafood sector – Fetal Bovine Serum, which is harvested from bovine fetuses taken from pregnant cows during their mutual slaughter.

Pershad highlights the importance of the collaboration: “We have the development and production technology, but we require experienced partners with global reach that can help us manufacture and deliver cultivated products to consumers.”

Umami Bioworks employs novel stem-cell biology, machine learning and automation to boost global-scale production of cell-cultivated seafood.

“Through collaborations with industry leaders like Maruha Nichiro, we can leverage our technology expertise to support the co-development of delicious, nutritious and appealing consumer products that secure a healthier and more sustainable food future for the world,” he concludes.

By Insha Naureen