China scientists’ lab-grown fish fillets point the way to food future

Study finds results ‘indistinguishable’ in flavour, colour and texture, suggesting potential as alternative protein source

Cultivated seafood could also one day relieve pressure on overfished marine stocks, the researchers say

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Researchers have made China’s first centimetre-long cultured fish fillets with the help of 3D technology. Photo: Zhejiang University

Published: 10:00am, 21 May 2023

A team of researchers at Zhejiang University has grown China’s first centimetre-long fish fillets in the laboratory.

Developed over 17 days, the cultured fish fillets are indistinguishable from similar natural fish in flavour, colour and texture, according to the study published in the peer-reviewed Science of Food, an online open access publication from Nature Partner Journals.

“Marine fish contain high-quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids, which have a positive effect on health,” said co-author Liu Donghong, a researcher at Zhejiang University.

“This technology may provide support for addressing the supply of meat and animal protein for human beings. It also has important implications for the conservation of marine fish stocks,” Liu said, on the university’s website.

Cultured meat – a genuine product achieved by cultivating animal cells in a lab – has emerged as an alternative to partially replace the traditional livestock industry in meat production, according to the research team.

Some researchers and companies have developed meat tissues from cows and pigs with the help of 3D printing technology.

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