Traditional beef burgers have a new competitor. This time it is not a “plant-based” alternative, not even the result of some combination between vegetables and mushrooms. It is not what we would call “laboratory meat” either. So what is it? If we had to classify this new “meat” perhaps we would have to opt for something like processed seafood.
A new alternative. A few years ago, the Norwegian company Pronofa Asa entered, through an acquisition, into a unique business: converting unknown underwater animals into an alternative protein source to meat. Two years after the purchase of the Marine Taste company, the Scandinavian company continues the development of its products, which includes “meat” for hamburgers.
Ciona. This meat substitute is obtained from a marine animal belonging to the genus known as Ciona. These are tube-shaped marine animals, which live attached to rocks at the bottom of the sea, similar to sponges or corals. However, the taxonomy of these tunicate ascidians is somewhat different from that of these other animals.
The tunicates (Tunicata) are one of the two subphylums into which the chordate phylum (Chordata) is divided, the other being that of the vertebrates. This implies that, strange as it may seem, these animals are more closely related to fish or mammals than to crustaceans and mollusks.
Sustainable and nutritious. Among the activities of the company Pronofa ASA is the cultivation of a species of ciona native to the North Sea. According to the company, aquaculture of these animals has some advantages. For example, they can simply feed on plankton, but also because they are capable of absorbing nitrogen from the water.
Excess nitrogen from terrestrial crops is one of the threats faced by various aquatic ecosystems. Growing cionas in highly nitrogenous areas can serve to “filter” this excess nitrogen, which, in the company’s words, translates into greater biodiversity.
At a nutritional level, products derived from this animal are presented as an alternative source of proteins and nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids.
And the flavor? Those who have tried these derivatives assure that the taste is similar to meat. According to those responsible for the development, the main challenge when developing these substitutes was to eliminate the “sea” flavor. The “natural” texture of cionas is similar to that of squid, and its flavor is also similar to that of seafood, explained Hans Petter Olsen, CEO of Pronofa to the British newspaper. The Guardian.
Experiments in the kitchen. Of course, these types of derivatives cannot be considered a vegetarian alternative, so it will not be a product for all palates. In any case, it is a new candidate to take into account in the complex market of “conventional” meat substitutes. Furthermore, we will still have to wait before seeing ciona derivatives in our supermarkets and restaurants.
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Image | Pronof / lazy
