In New York, Good Catch created a plant-based albacore tuna that doesn’t smell like tuna but tastes just like the usual tuna fish. The tuna is made from legumes, beans and algae in order to replicate the tuna flavor but without using any actual fish.
“In terms of texture, that was probably the biggest feat. Diversifying the proteins enabled us to create the texture with six different beans,” co-found Chad Sarno told MarketWatch. As for the small, “We use algae oil and seaweed extract. It gives it the taste that tuna has, but smells more like the ocean than it does fish,” said Sarno.
The tuna is currently for sale at Whole Foods and online retailer Thrive Market. While the cost is higher than standard canned tuna fish, the plant-based tuna is a hit with vegans and vegetarians as well as others who are concerned about over-fishing or mercury and other toxins in fish.
“It’s almost identical to tuna,” Sarno told MarketWatch. “It’s basically right on par when it comes to fat, protein and omega-3s. The biggest difference is ours is mercury-free.”