Innovative ingredients drive plant-based alternative seafood [Interview]

“Health has been a big driver for consumers in moving to plant-based products, [and] fish and seafood are generally considered to be healthy food products. However, consumers are becoming more aware of the impact of overfishing and concern about levels of heavy metals and microplastics is increasing, this in turn is resulting in more consumers looking for a plant-based alternative to fish and seafood.”

“In terms of texture and gelling, I think that ingredients derived from seaweed, particularly alginate, have a good fit with the sector. Algae-based ingredients are also really interesting in fish and seafood alternatives, and I think that we will see these ingredients being used more widely.”

“This is a huge challenge for developers. We have seen ingredients such as banana blossom and jackfruit being used in this sector. These ingredients can provide a good texture but are much lower in protein than fish. Texturised proteins are used widely in meat alternatives, and these can be a good basis for a vegan alternative but there are some limitations.

“As mentioned, the vegan fish and seafood sector is still relatively new compared to meat alternatives and I think that we will start to see new developments from ingredient suppliers which are designed specifically for this sector.“

“Flavour is a challenge because there are often flavours, for example vegetable notes, bitterness, which are contributed by the base ingredients. These need to be masked before adding the characterizing flavour which tends to be more subtle than the flavours used typically in meat alternatives. A strong fish aroma and flavour can be quite off-putting, so it is important to try and achieve a good balance.”

“Up until fairly recently, most alternatives have been battered or coated in breadcrumbs. Whilst I think that there is a role for these products, I am excited to see other options such as Seabloom ‘Tuna-Free’ Flakes and Zeastar Zalmon Sashimi coming to the market.”

“Formulating to a comparable protein content can be challenging because of the impact on colour, flavour, and texture, however, I think that this will become more and more important in this sector. White chlorella is one approach to boost protein content in these products.

“Omega-3 is also added to a number of market products, and this can be achieved through addition of high omega-3 oils such as flax oil. In the EU and UK, algal oil has novel food approval so it is important to confirm with your supplier that the algal oil can be used in your development.

“Fish and seafood tend to be a good source of iodine, seaweed ingredients can be used as a source of iodine in plant-based alternatives.”