Protein Industries Canada (PIC) has announced an investment with New School Foods and Liven Proteins in a project that involves the development of plant-based seafood products.

The project will focus on a whole muscle, plant-based fish filet development, which will replicate the same texture, taste and cooking experience of fish.

The new plant-based fish filet would be the first of its kind in Canada.

PIC CEO Bill Greuel said: “Among the top demands from Canadian consumers are choice, great taste and appealing texture in plant-based food products.

“New School Foods and Liven are developing seafood alternatives that deliver on all three, while their fish-alternative filets will create a new market opportunity for Canada’s plant-based food sector as a whole.”

PIC’s plant-based fish filet would provide the consumers with a new sustainable meat alternative option, which resembles the actual seafood.

The project will see an investment of $1.5m (C$1.9m), of which PIC has agreed to provide half of the funds while the remaining half will be offered by New School Foods and Liven.

Through this co-investment, New School Foods will be able to further expand its research and development capabilities by partnering with additional universities and private laboratories.

The investment will also allow Liven to fast-track the development of protein ingredients through its precision fermentation platform and introduce these ingredients to the marketplace.

Ingredients developed by Liven will enhance the sensory and cooking experience of plant-based seafood products.

The partners will also trial Liven’s animal-free proteins with other plant-based proteins such as pea, canola and fava proteins, which are produced in Canada.

Liven CEO Fei Luo said: “The co-investment from Protein Industries Canada is essential to the development and commercialisation of Liven’s protein ingredients.”