Vegans can now get omega-3 from this ‘faux-fish’ but does it taste any good?

Wouldn't it be cool if vegans and vegetarians could get all of the same nutritional benefits fish eaters get from salmon, but without having to eat fish? Well, science has recently engineered the world's first 3D printed plant-based 'fish' fillet and here's everything you need to know about it.

Some vegans have no interest in eating any meat substitutes because certain options end up being very high in saturated fats. This isn't make or break though, since there are lots of plant-based foods that contain high levels of important nutrients. Plus, you can always top up on certain nutrients with supplements such as the best fish oil supplements.

But new to the plant-based scene is a brand new fish alternative. Forget the lingering smell of salmon in your kitchen and welcome a brand new 3D printed, vegan-friendly fish steak produced entirely from plants. 

You might be wondering how this works, and so were we initially. Israeli startup, Plantish, announced the product this week after developing a system for 3D printing that would enable them to make plant-based fish alternatives from natural ingredients.

The boneless fishless fillet was made by reverse engineering a real salmon to detect the balance of components, such as omega-3, omega-6, protein, fat, water, and substitute them with plant-based alternatives.

Recent taste tests reported that the plant-based fish steak looked and tasted "spot on". However, food scientist at Plantish, Dr Elimelich said to UK publication, The Telegraph, that creating a recognizable flaky, fishy texture is the greatest challenge right now. It's easier to create a battered fake fish or a replica that is flaked or minced, but the same can't be said about making a larger piece of fake fish.

This hasn't stopped the Plantish mission. The company's co-founder and chief executive, Ofek Ron also spoke to the Telegraph, “A fish is the most hunted animal in the world. Unless we do something, in a few dozen decades there will probably be no more fish in the sea."

Ron added, "We exist to save the oceans and eliminate the need to consume marine animals by providing more sustainable, more nutritious, and more delicious fish options."

The faux-fish market is popularizing with more and more options appearing on supermarket shelves. Just last year Nestle launched 'Vrimp', a shrimp alternative made from seaweed and peas. But this Plantish product could be the first plant-based alternative offering a greater number of nutrients for you.

Plantish made its fishless fillet entirely from legumes, proteins and algae extracts, which are all health benefiting ingredients that you can use in your own vegan or healthy cooking adventures. Why not have a bash at some plant-based recipes in 2022 using a best vegan cookbook from our roundup.