Singapore farmed seafood company Umami Meats and California-based biotech firm triple bar there is has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to collaborate on improving cell lines for more efficient and cost-effective production of farmed seafood, Starting with the Japanese eel.
“We are firm believers in technology as a tool to make seafood better”
Due to overfishing, rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, eels have become extinct Critically endangered in the wild. Additionally, they are grown using aquaculture Resource-intensive and environmentally hazardous.
“I am confident that this collaboration between Umami Meats and TripleBar will accelerate the commercialization of farmed seafood and the transition to a more robust and sustainable food system for everyone,” said Mihir Parshad, CEO of Umami Meats.
gain knowledge
Through this agreement, Umami Meats will use the TripleBar screening system to test solutions to discover which cell lines have the right characteristics to grow in a bioreactor in a fraction of the normal time.
In their partnership with Umami, TripleBar will focus on how small changes in the genome produce desired results in cell lines, Maria Cho, CEO of TripleBar, said The Spoon.
The partners will work together to develop a licensing agreement that will accelerate the development and optimization of cell lines without genetic modification. While the partnership will focus on eel, Umami said it plans to expand the collaboration to other fish products.
“We strongly believe in technology as a tool to make seafood better, healthier, and more sustainable than conventional aquaculture and wild catch, especially for endangered species.”
Accelerating farmed seafood
Building partnerships to accelerate the production of farmed seafood is a key priority for Umami Meats. The company has tied up with MeaTech and Steakholder Foods to produce 3D-printed seafood. In October, the Singaporean company showcased its first co-developed farmed fish cakes and fillets with US-based food solutions company Ingredion.
Also, in November 2022, Umami Meats announced a research collaboration with Water Corporation’s food and nutrition scientists to develop laboratory methods for premium farmed fish products.
Use of science and technology
Founded by Dave Friedberg, TripleBar conducts in-depth scientific and technological research to identify emerging and meaningful discoveries and determine whether they have transformative commercial applications. Recently, Twavy bar The giant announced a partnership with FrieslandCampina To enhance the co-development and production of microbial proteins.
“The solution to the global seafood problem is to use science and technology to produce high-quality food cost-effectively and sustainably,” Cho said.