photo from Aqua Cultured Foods

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

Chicago-based food tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods is innovating in the alt-seafood space with its truly vegan products created through microbial fermentation.

On the menu are fungi-based seafood analogs including “whole-muscle cut tuna and whitefish, popcorn shrimp, calamari, and scallop alternatives,” according to a March 2022 press release. Aqua Cultured Foods in fresh or frozen varieties, breaded or seasoned, are in the pipeline. The first commercial product, calamari fries, was recently unveiled.

The startup’s website states: “Aqua’s products contain no microplastics, mercury, pesticides, antibiotics, dioxin or PCBs” like conventional seafood may contain. The products are safe for people with seafood allergies. They are soy- and gluten-free.

According to Aqua’s website, their fermentation methods do not use any animal inputs, genetic altering or modification, and are non-GMO. “We’re not messing with its DNA sequence or altering its genetic material because we want to maintain that non-GMO status,” Anne Palermo, CEO of Aqua Cultured Foods, reported to FoodNavigator.

Unlike many other plant-based meat alternatives made from starches and protein isolates derived from soy, pea, or other plant-based extracts, Aqua Cultured Foods seafood analogs are mycoprotein (fungal) and produced by microbial fermentation. The resulting fibrous biomass retains “naturally occurring fiber, protein, and other micronutrients.”

In a 2021 FoodDrive article, Palermo described their fermentation method as versatile: “By varying pressure levels, humidity and gases during the production process, the same protein can be made into a flaky fish analog, meaty popcorn shrimp, or chewy calamari ring.”

Palermo further explained their technique in a 2021 Just Food article: “Basically, it’s a very new and different way of producing mushrooms. Rather than growing them on a solid substrate such as coconut husks or sawdust, we are growing protein in a liquid broth.”

A FoodNavigator February 2022 article states their calamari analog has, per serving, fewer calories, no sodium, more protein, and none of the saturated fat or cholesterol as conventional calamari. Unlike fiberless marine calamari, each serving of Aqua’s product contains 10-12g of fiber.

In a September 2021 FoodNavigator article about Aqua Cultured Foods, Palermo describes their alt seafood analogs as “tasteless.” So, adding chemical masking agents to hide bitter off flavors – like other companies do – isn’t necessary. As a result, their ingredient labeling and branding terminology will be simple and clean – but as of yet no details are available except that vegan omega-3s are added to the breading.

The Vegetarian Resource Group corresponded with Anne Palermo, CEO of Aqua Cultured Foods, about their vegan mycoprotein products via their publicist, Gary Smith, in August 2022. We wanted to confirm that absolutely no animal ingredients, including animal-sourced genetic material from a virtual DNA library, were used in their manufacturing process from start to finish.

Here are our questions followed by Anne’s responses:

The VRG: Can you please confirm:

1. Your products contain no animal-derived ingredients.
2. There is no animal- or dairy-derived genetic material in the microbes used to make your products. This includes no animal DNA (including genes coding for dairy ingredients) from a digital library.
3. There are no animal- or dairy-derived ingredients in the nutrient growth medium. This includes cane sugar processed through cow bone char.

Anne Palermo: All three statements are true. Zero animal inputs in any phase of development and end product. When we are in full scale production (and at present), we will use 100% plant-based ingredients…our aim is to remove animals from the food system and that includes using inputs that don’t contain animal-derived ingredients or refined through the use of animal inputs.

The VRG followed up by asking for details on their market launch.

Gary Smith told us: “Aqua expects to do tasting events with some restaurant partners later this year (to gauge consumer acceptance), and then product introductions in markets via distribution partners in 2023…at first they won’t be going to grocery/retail, nor direct to consumers. Their plan is to sign agreements with foodservice suppliers.”

Stay tuned to The VRG Blog for all the specifics on Aqua Cultured Foods upcoming market launch.

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.