Copenhagen, Denmark

Scientists in Denmark are fermenting seaweed on fungi to develop the closest substitute for seafood yet. They are working with Alchemist, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, to meet demand from diners for sustainable plant-based alternatives that are as good as or better than the real thing.

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“We scientists are not good at understanding how to make things delicious, and this decides whether people will eat them. There’s a lot we can learn from each other. [Working with chefs] is slowly emerging, but it hasn’t happened so far to the extent that would be needed to end up with products that are really good,” said Dr Leonie Jahn, the microbiologist leading the project, as reported by The Guardian.

Rasmus Munk, the head chef and co-owner of Alchemist, told The Guardian that the restaurant wanted to “change people’s perception of ‘new foods’”. Creating seafood alternatives was important, he said, because “frankly I haven’t found anything on the market right now that I would put on the menu”.

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“The ultimate goal is to create a product that is so delicious in its own right, that it is chosen over other foods on the sole criterion of tastiness,” he added.

According to a report from the Good Food Institute, which is funding the project, 2021 was a year of “tremendous growth” for the alternative seafood market, with 18 new companies launching and sales rising at an “astonishing rate”. The report described alternative seafood as a “white space opportunity”, meaning there was huge untapped consumer demand.

(with inputs from agencies)

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