Israeli food-tech start-up Forsea has revealed its latest breakthrough in cell-cultivated seafood production, potentially revolutionizing the US$2 billion global eel market.

The company’s proprietary organoid technology has achieved cell densities exceeding 300 million cells per milliliter — reportedly the highest in the industry — while minimizing costly growth media usage.

This development could make lab-grown unagi, a premium Japanese delicacy, commercially viable for the first time. According to Forsea, this significant advancement in alternative protein technology is critical in terms of timing. Japan, which consumes half the world’s eel supply, saw demand reach 140,000 metric tons in 2023. 

With wild eel populations endangered and commercial breeding impossible, prices have surged, straining traditional suppliers.

“This breakthrough validates our approach to high-efficiency cultivation,” says Moria Shimoni, Forsea’s CTO. 

The company’s patent-protected method allows fish cells to self-organize into three-dimensional tissues, circumventing expensive scaffolding processes that have historically made cultured meat prohibitively costly.

Ample affordable cultivated eel not oceans away

“The breakthrough to this level of cell density highlights the strength of our organoid technology,” exclaims Shimoni. “It’s a validation of our approach to high-efficiency cultivation of seafood to meet both economic and sustainability goals at scale.”

After completing its proof-of-concept continuous harvesting process, Forsea reports it is ready to take production of its cultured fish products to the next phase of commercial scale-up.

Better, faster and economical

Setting a new standard for “blue ocean” initiatives, Forsea created a new approach to cell-cultivating fish tissues outside of their native water habitats via organoid technology. Forsea’s patent-protected platform involves creating the ideal environment for animal cells to spontaneously assemble into three-dimensional tissue structures with their natural composition of fat, muscle and connective tissue.

This method not only echoes the natural growth process of these tissues in a living animal, giving it a closer-to-nature edge, it bypasses the scaffolding stage and is dramatically less dependent on expensive growth factors. This makes the process highly affordable and positions its cell-grown version to price parity (or potentially lower)  with traditional aquafarmed eel, a key challenge the cell-based industry was desperate to overcome.

Strides; past, present and future

Earlier this year, Forsea showcased its progress at a Tel Aviv tasting event, serving cultivated unagi kabayaki to Japanese embassy officials and food industry representatives. The company is planning a commercial launch in 2026.

Backed by venture firms including Target Global and PeakBridge VC, Forsea represents a new wave of food-tech companies targeting premium seafood products. Success in the eel market could provide a template for scaling other cultivated seafood products.

Industry analysts note that achieving price parity with traditional seafood remains crucial for market adoption. Forsea’s technological advances suggest this hurdle might be overcome sooner than expected, though regulatory approval in key markets like Japan and the US will be essential for commercialization.