Umami Meats to launch cell-based laksa with Ingredion

After recently announcing its filed patent for cell-cultured seafood technology, Singapore-based seafood start-up Umami Meats announced a new partnership with Westchester, Illinois, U.S.A.-based ingredient company, Ingredion Incorporated to launch two new product concepts: Thai-style fish cakes and battered fish fillets.

The products will launch in August 2023, the company announced during the Singapore 2022 Agri-Food Week, taking place 25 to 28 October. Umami will debut the product at an upcoming product demonstration, which will include the Thai-style fish cakes with its first fillet prototype: a beer-battered fish fillet.

“We’re excited to be able to showcase our first structured prototypes,” Umami Meats CEO and Founder Mihir Pershad said. “With this product showcase, our goal is to demonstrate the versatility of our cultivated fish and the wide range of desirable, structured products that we plan to supply via high-end restaurants as progressive regulatory changes occur in each of our target launch markets. In the coming months, we look forward to unveiling additional collaborations that will enable us to bring premium cultivated products to discerning consumers around the world.”

The fish ball laksa will be cultivated from fish cells and a base Ingredion-provided structure. According to Ingredion Senior Director of Sales and Technical Service Rohit Tipnis, the collaboration will enhance the quality of Umami's products. 

“Innovation is at the heart of our partnership with Umami Meats. Working with cultivated seafood and meat presents the next step towards sustainable innovation,” Tipnis said. “Through this collaboration, Ingredion introduced a functional system that provides the ideal texture and structure to the Thai-style fish cakes. Umami Meats successfully leveraged Ingredion’s formulation expertise and extensive portfolio of sustainable solutions to launch a product with consumer-preferred taste, texture, and flavor in the market.”

Photo courtesy of Umami Meats