Sashimi from a lab? S'pore firm eyes goal with Japan launch

Biotech start-up is first to cultivate Omega-3-rich fish fat using stem cell technology

- Walter Sim Japan Correspondent

Sashimi that looks, feels and tastes just like the real deal, but is actually grown in a laboratory.

That is what a Singapore biotech startup is aiming for, in its greater goal of addressing global food security challenges.

ImpacFat, launched in Japan on Oct 1, is the first company in the world to have successfully cultivated Omega-3-rich fish fat using stem cell technology.

The firm owns a global patent that extends across key markets including Singapore, Japan, China, Europe and the US.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital “healthy fats” the human body cannot naturally produce, making dietary intake or supplements essential. They are scientifically proven to enhance brain function, support heart health, regulate blood pressure and improve vision.

ImpacFat co-founder Mandy Hon told The Straits Times on the sidelines of a media event that the company aims to revolutionise plant-based and lab-grown meat and seafood by enhancing their taste and texture, with “cell-cultured sashimi the direction we hope to work towards”.

“The issue with plant-based food today is taste - for example, chicken that does not taste like chicken - and we think fat is the missing ingredient,” she said.

But with stricter regulatory requirements and market barriers for food, the startup is taking a “phased approach” by first focusing on cosmetics and skincare, she added.