While there are a growing number of companies creating plant-based alternatives to meat products, Ocean Hugger Foods has just debuted a new seafood alternative called 'Unami.'
Unami is a plant-based product that is meant to serve as a vegan alternative to freshwater eel (unagi). The dish is made from eggplants and uses Ocean Hugger’s patent-pending process to mimic the texture of real eel. To give Unami its fishy flavor, the eggplant base is marinated in a combination of gluten-free soy sauce, mirin, and algae oil. The result is a ready-to-use vegan seafood product that is a great option for Japanese dishes such as sushi and rice bowls.
Not only is Unami a vegan-friendly, non-GMO, gluten-free alternative to real eel, the plant-based product is also eco-friendly as it does not contribute to the continued decline of freshwater eel populations.
Image Credit: <i> Ocean Hugger Foods.</i>
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Plant-based Seafood Substitutes
- The success of Unami presents an opportunity for companies to further develop alternative seafood products using plant-based ingredients.
- Patent-pending Texturizing Processes
- Ocean Hugger Foods’ patent-pending process used to create the texture of Unami can be expanded into other industries to create innovative texture-modified food products.
- Sustainable Food Industry
- Unami's use of eggplants and algae oil presents an opportunity for companies to prioritize eco-friendliness and sustainability in food production and processing.
Where This Applies
- Plant-based Food Industry
- The creation of Unami opens up possibilities for companies to develop other meat and seafood substitutes using plant-based ingredients.
- Food Processing Industry
- Ocean Hugger Foods’ patent-pending process can be expanded into the food processing industry to develop innovative texturizing methods for various food products.
- Sustainable Agriculture Industry
- Unami's use of eggplants and algae oil presents an opportunity for companies to prioritize sustainable farming practices and develop alternative ingredients for food production.
