Science Israeli startup to produce kabayaki grilled eel ‘meat’ in Japan with cell-cultivation technology

An Israeli startup, Forsea Foods Ltd., founded in October 2021, is preparing to bring cell-cultivated kabayaki grilled eel to Kyoto Prefecture, using a technology to replicate the taste and texture of traditional eel. Forsea Foods plans a production plant in which eel stem cells will be grown into muscle and fat tissue, then blended with plant-based ingredients and shaped into cuts resembling real eel before being grilled in a shoyu-based sauce. The company aims to refine the production process for large-scale manufacturing and launch sales in 2027. While eel is not typically eaten in Israel, Forsea chose to pursue it due to the expanding global demand for eel products.

As restrictions on cultivated meat have not been established in Japan, the company intends to initially sell the products in Singapore. "Eel supplies rely on the quantity of glass eels [juvenile eels], and its possible that the [quantity] will be heavily impacted by climate change from now on," said Mayu Sugisaki, who is in charge of business development in the Asia-Pacific region for the company.++

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