Israel-based Wanda Fish introduces the first cell-cultured fish

The American and European ban on cell-cultured food is unlikely to slow down that industry. The latest to come in is Israel-based Wanda Fish Ltd., which is releasing its first farmed bluefin tuna toro sashimi.

It is said to create the buttery sensation of a true Bluefin Toro. The farmed sashimi will meet the growing 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 comes from the underbelly of the fish, which has the highest fat content and a high omega-3 content. This is intended to give a unique buttery feel, making it the most tender and desirable flesh of the fish.

Wanda Fish’s cell-cultured sashimi is also said to possess the same sensory characteristics as wild-produced toro sashimi. It’s infused with similar nutritional richness, especially protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Science and investment capital seem to drive Wanda Fish.

The company, closely associated with David Kaplan, Ph.D., a leading academic authority on cellular agriculture, was founded in 2021 and has attracted $10 million in investment capital. The relationship with Kaplan stems from an exclusive agreement with Tufts University in Boston.

Last year it announced its $7.1 million capital round, with AquaSpark leading the round and joined by additional investors The Kitchen Hub by Strauss Group (the incubator nurturing Wanda Fish’s business), Peregrine Ventures, PICO Venture Partners, MOREVC and CPT. Capital ventures.

This support has made Wanda Fish a leading company at the forefront of a more sustainable future for seafood products. Using so-called “disruptive” technologies, they produce a variety of whole-cut, farmed premium fish fillets outside the ocean.

The company has a highly skilled multidisciplinary team: Daphna Heffetz, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO, has more than 20 years of experience building and growing biotechnology companies. Malkiel Cohen, Ph.D., vice president of R&D, is an expert in stem cell technology and genomic engineering. Yaron Sfadyah, LLB, Vice President of Business Development, brings more than a decade of global marketing and business development experience.

Maarten Geraets has joined Wanda as a member of the commercial advisory board. He brings decades of food experience to Nestlé SA and, most recently, to Thai Union PLC, where he led the alternative protein business.

Wanda Fish’s cell-cultured adaptation of the 3D fillet reportedly combines the cellular mass of muscle and fat created from the cells of bluefin tuna, developed in conjunction with a plant-based matrix. The company hired skilled chefs to bring the sashimi to culinary perfection.

Wanda Fish’s patent-pending technology to induce the formation of natural fat in bluefin tuna cells and a fully cut downstream production process uses a fast, cheap and easily scalable production method.

Daphna Heffetz, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Wanda Fish, says the key to the product is the same level of fat marbling as real Bluefin toro sashimi to create the same appearance and mouthfeel. He says this contributes to the company’s ability to market a whole cut toro fillet of bluefin tuna without harming the ocean or reducing the wild fish population.

It’s not easy to catch. Bluefin tuna is the best type of tuna and a prized marine delicacy.

Yaron Sfadyah, Vice President of Business Development & Marketing at Wanda Fish, says farmed bluefin tuna is one of those rare food products that makes good business sense because it is in high demand, with limited alternatives that match the taste and texture of the wild fish. .

As for where to start, Wanda Fish says it will introduce its tuna into the high-end foodservice sector, focusing on Japanese cuisine, where sushi and sashimi are traditional hallmarks.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)