3-D printed cultured seafood agreement signed

MeaTech 3D Ltd, an international deep-tech food company has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Umami Meats for the joint development of 3-D printed cultured structured seafood.

Umami Meats is a Singapore-based cultured seafood company which it says has a focus on developing species that are expected to experience severe supply-side shortages in the coming years due to climate change, overfishing and continuously growing consumer demand.

The global seafood market was estimated to be worth US $110.2 billion by 2022 and is growing at a CAGR of 3.6 percent.

This collaboration opens a door for both companies into the Asian market, and Singapore specifically, which is currently the only country that has authorised the production and distribution of cultured meat.

MeaTech claims its “innovative 3-D bioprinting technology can produce complex meat products with pinpoint precision at an industrial rate of production without impacting cell viability.”

The firm says it also sees this collaboration as an opportunity to make a valuable contribution to helping preserve marine ecosystems and wildlife while addressing the environmental challenges surrounding the aquaculture and fishing industries.

“We are very pleased about this new agreement which reflects our commercialisation strategy of industry collaboration using our unique 3-D printing capabilities. We are excited about entering into the seafood sector and believe it will lead us to new market pathways throughout Asia and worldwide,” said Arik Kaufman, MeaTech’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder.

Mihir Pershad, Umami Meats’ Chief Executive Officer and Founder, added: “We are delighted to establish this collaboration with MeaTech to expand our product range with their 3-D printing capabilities.

“This partnership will enable us to build upon our technology platform for cultivating fish muscle and fat to produce a variety of structured products that meet the desires of discerning consumers. We believe cultivated seafood holds tremendous potential to provide a local, sustainable source of healthy protein and to address many of the challenges facing our food system and our oceans.”