Plant-based fish paves way for vegan sushi in Vancouver

You may be familiar with Beyond Meat and other meat alternatives, but the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver is attempting to add to the plant-based food scene with a piece of sushi that has no real fish in it.

The innovation comes as research shows the growth rate for seafood farming is in decline.

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Professor at the UBC Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries, Rashid Sumaila, says the fish substitute will make sushi a more sustainable food.

“If we were to rely only on fish farms to feed the world, there will be a huge shortage,” he told CityNews. “To be able to meet that demand, Canada’s culture growth will have to triple if we’re going to feed the world from fish farms alone.”

A Vancouver-based company is launching a plant-based fish substitute to be made into vegan sushi. (CityNews image)

Vancouver-based company Konscious Foods is releasing new plant-based seafood products in select grocery stores. CEO Yves Potvin says consumers want conscious and convenient plant-based products.

“Most people are looking to make a difference in their food choice. And we know with all the different fish protein, the price is going up and there is a supply issue,” he said.

The nutritional value of the fake seafood, Potvin says, is on par with the real thing.

“We use simple ingredients: tomato, konjac, pea protein – so it’s a lot easier on our resources, and it’s sustainable in that it’s easy to grow,” he explained.

A Vancouver-based company is launching a plant-based fish substitute to be made into vegan sushi. (CityNews image)

CityNews asked some Vancouverites their thoughts on the seafood substitute.

“My opinion is, if I want to eat veggie, I’ll just eat veggie. I don’t want to eat anything that close to meat that tastes like meat, but is not meat,” one person said.

“I love going veggie if at all possible and the principal reason is environmental. I think the more we move toward a vegetarian diet, the less impact we have on the environment, and the healthier we are,” said another.

Regardless of people’s thoughts on the plant-based alternatives to meat, Sumaila it’s a step in the right direction for the environment.

“We have to keep working to find solutions, keep humanity going, keep our environment going,” he said