There are several companies out there working on fake meat products. The goal is to recreate all the fun and flavor of meats, without the ecological consequences of cultivating it. One company, New Wave Foods, has gone as far as to create a meatless shrimp replica.
Unlike other companies, which have gone down the path of cloning to create lab-grown meat, New Wave has created their shrimp from plants and algae, and the result apparently not only tastes and feels real, but even smells like the real thing. Co-founder and CEO Dominique Barnes says that their meatless shrimp even have a similar nutrient profile, except New Wave’s product has less fat and no cholesterol.
There are several reasons behind the creation of a product like this. Along with the fact that there are many people who can’t currently eat shrimp due to seafood allergies, fish farming has had some pretty horrific ramifications on the planet. 38% of the world’s mangroves have been destroyed to build shrimp farms.
Each year, the average American eats 4 lbs of shrimp. If they don’t want to give up their tempura, cocktails, and coconut fried treats, they might just have to start looking to the lab instead of the ocean.
