The Unique Way A Spanish Start-Up Is Making Tuna More Sustainable

Raw tuna can typically be found rolled into sushi, or topping a bowl of rice. It is a great source of B12, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and potassium, and eating tuna can lower risks of cancer, heart disease, and vision problems, according to WebMD. Unfortunately, although tuna may be great for us, the way it is acquired may not be great for the environment.

Food Navigator reports that conventional fishing methods can be harmful to the environment — dragging nets along the ocean floor, a process called bottom trawling, could release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. They also state that tuna is an ecosystem stabilizer, and one of the species that is commonly overfished. The reduction of the wild tuna population could have consequences for the rest of the ecosystem.

Tomato may not be an ingredient we typically think of when we envision sushi, but that is exactly what goes into making this vegan fish alternative from Mimic Seafood, which aims to create a more sustainable seafood experience.

Mimic Seafood creates their vegan seafood alternatives with just five ingredients: tomatoes, olive oil, algae, soy sauce, and a spice blend, according to their website. Their flagship product, Tunato, was created to mimic the taste and feel of raw tuna. They recommend adding it to sushi rolls, poke bowls, or dicing it up as a tartare.

After the success of the Tunato, which is currently available for sale in Spain and Denmark, per Seafood Source, Mimic created Aubergeel: an eggplant-based alternative to eel. Made from only nine ingredients, they created a sweet-and-sour flavor experience perfect to pair with rice.

Mimic aims to provide consumers with healthier alternatives to fish via a plant-based alternative, per Food Navigator. According to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, microplastics are found in seafood due to trash in the ocean, and people could be consuming up to five grams per week, depending on how much fish they consume. This all-natural plant-based food from Mimic eliminates any risk of microplastics and cuts back on the damage done by commercial fishing practices, creating a more sustainable food experience.