A study developed in San Francisco presented a new way in which seafood could be made, without any harm to animals or the environment. 27-year-old Mike Selden partnered up with Brian Wyrwas, an old friend from university, and together they co-founded Finless Foods, a company that supplies fish without harming the environment. Currently, they are starting by producing bluefin tuna, a fish that has been threatened by predatory fishing practices. This new process of creating fish meat has also been proven as a healthier alternative to normal fish. So, would you eat fish grown in a lab?

To create the lab-grown fish meat, the pair extract the cells of a high-quality fish and ‘feed’ them with salts, sugars and proteins. These nutrients aid the multiplication of the cells; by feeding the cells, they are in a very similar biochemical environment to which they would be in if they were in a live fish, and so they replicate what they would do inside a fish, by doing the same things outside a fish. Then, once the cells have duplicated themselves many times, they form a fish paste and are structured into a normal-looking piece of fish.

This project has been labelled as ‘the next food revolution’ by some, as the advantages to the environment are propitious (that is, they are very favourable). If publicity rates increase for Finless Foods and more people switch to buying from there, the impact on the environment could be extremely beneficial. By sacrificing one fish, thousands more can be grown in the lab. This will help prevent by-catch fishing (when fishing for specific species, unintentionally kills other non-target fish such as dolphins and sea turtles) from growing more serious, as well as other causes related to this issue. On top of this, Finless Foods’ products are described as ‘mercury-free, pathogen-free, and cruelty-free.’ Mercury is a toxin that is often seen in tunas and even though it is found in very small portions, it should not be eaten excessively. This is why pregnant women are usually advised to limit the amount of tuna that they eat to protect their babies from consuming too much mercury. A Lab-grown fish has no traces of mercury or any other poisonous elements, as well as being cleaner than a normal fish. Check out more sources below and do your part to help by spreading the word or switching to Finless Foods to help save marine-life.

https://finlessfoods.com/about/ - Finless Foods Website https://www.channel4.com/programmes/food-unwrapped/on-demand/65676-014 - Food Unwrapped, Series 14 Episode 4 (final 4 minutes and 25 seconds)