Soon, India may have lab-grown fish meat that will have the same flavor and texture as original fish

In a groundbreaking initiative, the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has taken on the task of developing lab-grown fish meat, making it a first in India. The project aims to meet the growing demand for seafood while reducing the strain on wild resources.

The CMFRI, in a release, stated that lab-grown fish meat is produced by isolating specific cells from the fish and cultivating them in a laboratory using animal component-free media. The final product will have the same flavor, texture, and nutritional qualities as the original fish. Initially, the institute will focus on developing cell-based meat of high-value marine fishes such as kingfish, pomfret, and seer fish.

To achieve this, CMFRI has partnered with Neat Meatt Biotech, a start-up working on cultivating meat, in a public-private partnership. CMFRI will conduct research on early cell line development of high-value marine fish species, including the isolation and cultivation of fish cells. They will also handle genetic, biochemical, and analytical work related to the project.


Neat Meatt will lead the optimization of cell growth media, development of scaffolds or microcarriers, and scaling up production through bioreactors. This collaboration aims to ensure that India keeps pace with countries like Singapore, Israel, and the US in the field of cultured seafood research.

Lab-grown fish has the potential to provide environmental and food security benefits, and this partnership combines CMFRI's marine research expertise with Neat Meatt's technological know-how, paving the way for a sustainable and secure future for seafood production in India. Sharma expressed confidence that the project's proof of concept could be established within a couple of months.