There is an openness among Japanese consumers to try cultured eel in response to dwindling populations of wild, freshwater eel and skyrocketing prices, a survey by food tech start-up Forsea has revealed.

Eel enjoys iconic status in Japan and has been a popular dish for thousands of years. Freshwater eel, known as unagi, is traditionally grilled in a sweet soy-based glaze and served over rice.

Forsea’s survey revealed that 35% of the 2000 respondents were aware of cell-based products, while 25% said they would try the lab-made product irrespective of price. The rest of the cohort said they would set various limits on what they were willing to spend.

Japan consumes over 50% of the world’s eel supply, valued at up to US$10 billion.

According to the survey, nearly a third of Japanese consumers cited health reasons for their interest in cultured seafood, believing that cell-based seafood is a highly nutritious, safer option due to the absence of heavy metals and contaminants.

One in three were drawn to its sustainability attributes, and over a quarter (26%) were intrigued by the groundbreaking technology behind cultured food.

Taste and price

Almost 40% of the respondents agreed that cell-cultured seafood could solve the overfishing problem and support ocean conservation. Taste and price were cited as the key considerations of cultured seafood.

“The results of this survey were encouraging, as it indicates a readiness among Japanese consumers to explore innovative food options,” says Roee Nir, co-founder and CEO of Forsea.

“Having scoured the market, we also discovered consumer types who are potential customers for our product, from the environmentally conscious young adult to the health-conscious homemaker, to the vegetarian-minded student or the tech-savvy businessperson seeking new experiences.”

In a previous survey conducted in August by Forsea, nearly one-quarter (23%) of those surveyed admitted that they “love eel” but refrain from purchasing it due to its steep price tag.

Over a third expressed concerns over the ecological impact of overfishing freshwater eels, making them endangered.

More than 50% noted that they consume eel at least once per year. only 10% enjoy it regularly, while others indulge on special occasions. 50% of the respondents also expressed willingness to pay premium prices for a high-quality product. 

Scaling cultivation

Last year, Forsea reported a breakthrough in its cell density technology for cultured seafood production. The company announced that its proprietary organoid technology has achieved cell densities exceeding 300 million cells per milliliter — reportedly the highest in the industry.

Cultivated food is produced directly from cells and is identical to conventional meat at a cellular level. Benefits include more efficient and sustainable production compared to regular meat. The Good Food Institute estimates that cultivated meat produced using renewable energy could reduce beef’s carbon footprint by up to 92%. 

However, companies in the sector have faced significant barriers in reaching large-scale or cost-competitive production levels.

“Our cultured eel has received a lot of positive traction in the global food scene, particularly among Japanese food manufacturers,” says Nir.

“As cell-cultivated alternatives progress in attaining regulatory approval in Japan and following our organoid platform’s recent demonstration of its exceptional capacity for scaling and cost-effectiveness, the stage is set for commercial production.”