India Begins Lab-Grown Fish Project to Address Rising Seafood Demand
The lab-grown fish holds the promise of providing meat that replicates the original flavor, texture, and nutritional qualities of traditionally harvested fish
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has begun a research project to cultivate lab-grown fish meat. This effort marks an important step for India in the field of cultured marine fish products and aims to address the increasing demand for seafood while reducing the mounting pressure on wild resources.
The process involves isolating specific cells from fish and cultivating them in a laboratory setting, employing animal component free media. The final product holds the promise of providing fish meat that replicates the original flavor, texture, and nutritional qualities of traditionally harvested fish.
Kajal Chakraborty, a principal scientist involved in the project, explained, “In Singapore, a few companies have tried this, Israel also has a project. Most projects are still experimental. Just like other meat, we will use cell line culture to produce fish meat. It’s even more difficult to grow meat of higher vertebrates in laboratory settings. This product may take a decade to reach the market. It’s being carried out as an experiment to see what can be developed. It will be conducted in a PPP mode.”
In its initial phase, the CMFRI is concentrating on developing cell-based meat from high-value marine fish varieties such as kingfish, pomfret, and seer fish. To achieve this, CMFRI has entered into a collaborative research agreement with Neat Meatt Biotech, a startup dedicated to cultivating meat through innovative processes, establishing a public-private partnership model.
A Gopalakrishnan, director of CMFRI, said, “This project aims to accelerate development in this field, ensuring India is not left behind in this emerging industry. This public-private partnership marks a crucial step in bridging the gap between India and other nations like Singapore, Israel, and the USA, who are already advancing cultured seafood research. Lab-grown fish offers immense potential for environmental and food security benefits.”
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