Startup Unveils Sashimi Made From Lab-Grown Bluefin Tuna

An Israeli startup cultivating fish from cells has unveiled its first toro sashimi made from bluefin tuna, one of the most expensive fish in the world per pound. 

Wanda Fish says the prototype dish meets the growing demand for bluefin tuna using a high quality, pollution-free and sustainable creation process. 

The tuna can sell for up to $5,000 a pound due to risk of extinction and overfishing, as well as because of the high market demand in places such as Japan. 

Toro sashimi is traditionally made using the fatty and omega 3-rich underbelly of the fish, and Wanda says its lab-grown version has the same nutritional value. The company even brought in chefs to ensure that the sashimi was produced to the highest standards. 

“A key focus in the creation of our product was achieving the same level of fat marbling as real Bluefin toro sashimi to create the same look and mouthfeel,” said Wanda Fish co-founder and CEO Daphna Heffetz. 

“Reaching this milestone demonstrates Wanda Fish’s ability to bring to market a whole-cut bluefin tuna toro filet without harming the ocean or diminishing the population of wild fish. The product is sustainable, and of course free of microplastics, mercury, and other chemical toxins all-too-commonly found in wild catch.”