Tuna, one of the most consumed fish in the world, is facing increasingly critical challenges. Stocks are in fact declining due to intensive fishing, including illegal and unregulated fishing, while prices continue to rise.
Not only that: tuna, like many other predatory fish, is often contaminated with microplastics and heavy metals such as mercury, which makes its frequent consumption a health risk. In this scenario, plant-based alternatives are welcome and an interesting piece of news comes from Japan, the largest consumer of tuna in the world.
A cheaper plant-based alternative to bluefin tuna
Japanese giant Mitsui DM Sugar, known in the sugar and functional foods industry, will launch a new vegan tuna brand called Osakana Kakumei (“Seafood Revolution”) next year. The product promises to replicate maguro, the prized bluefin tuna, both in appearance and consistency. The technology behind the product was developed by subsidiary Taisho Technos, which specializes in food additives.
Bluefin tuna is famous for its velvety meat and delicate flavor, but its production is complex and expensive, which causes the final price to be very high. Mitsui DM Sugar’s vegan tuna stands out for its competitive cost: 2,000 yen per kg (around 13.50 dollars), compared to 3,262 yen for conventional tuna.
How is this vegetable tuna made? It is made with konjac, seaweed and bamboo fiber, contains 6 grams of fiber per 100 grams and is perfect for sashimi, salads or other preparations.
As fish production in Japan has fallen by 20 percent and the number of fishermen has fallen by 30 percent over the past decade, many companies have looked to plant-based alternatives, but prices remain high: for example, Azuma Foods’ vegan tuna costs around $29 per kg.
Mitsui DM Sugar instead focuses on the advantage of its consolidated supply chain and wants to make the plant-based alternative more accessible to all and stable in price.
A product designed for everyone
In addition to vegans, vegetable tuna is designed for those who cannot consume raw sashimi: patients in nursing homes, pregnant women and hospital guests. The company highlights the existence of a significant audience that wants to enjoy raw tuna without the food risks associated with this food.
Mitsui DM Sugar will launch its Osakana Kakumei plant-based tuna in Japan during 2026. The product will initially be distributed in hospitals and elderly care facilities across the country, with the aim of reaching an annual production of 10 tonnes by 2028.
But Mitsui DM Sugar doesn’t intend to stop just at tuna, the company is already working on plant-based alternatives to salmon and squid, as well as products enriched with nutrients other than fiber alone.
Sources: ICE Italian Trade & Investment Agency / Nikkei Asia
