Health foods

Seafood and poultry are next on the list of plant-based food entrepreneurs hoping to reduce overfishing and climate change.

1.OmniSeafood's plant-based seafood collection, which includes fish fillets, deep-fried golden fillets, minced tuna, and crabmeat, attempts to reduce seafood consumption.

2.Next Gen, which is offering Tindle – “chicken created from plants,” is another startup eager to help preserve the earth by entering the plant-based protein race.

While some marine experts believe that a fishless ocean is implausible, associated issues such as overfishing, microplastics in seafood, and other forms of pollution are important concerns for those who eat seafood responsibly.

David Yeung, the founder and CEO of Hong Kong's Green Monday Group and OmniFoods, is one of them, having created plant-based OmniPork three years ago to assist reduce pork consumption.

He provided some alarming numbers at a World Ocean Day lecture at the Cordis Hong Kong hotel last month: yearly global seafood consumption was 20 million tonnes in 1950; 70 years later, it has risen to 180 million tonnes.

Another interesting fact, according to Yeung, is that Hong Kong consumes significantly more seafood than other cities. “The global average per capita fish intake is 20.3 kilogrammes per year, while Hong Kong consumes 3.5 times that,” says Yeung. In 2017, Hong Kong was Asia's second-largest consumer of fish and seafood per capita, with 70.75kg, trailing only the Maldives' 90.41kg.

Offering plant-based alternatives that are equally pleasant and nutritious as seafood is one method to reduce seafood consumption. OmniFoods is accomplishing just that with its OmniSeafood line of six plant-based fish fillets, deep-fried golden fillets, minced tuna, and crabmeat.

OmniSeafood is versatile enough to be used in Asian and other cuisines. Its traditional fillet is suitable for Sichuan shui zhu yu, or whole fish simmered in an oily broth with chilies, as well as pan frying. Its golden fillet can be deep-fried for fish and chips, its minced tuna may be used in tacos or sushi rolls, and its crabmeat can be mixed with other ingredients to make a light salad.

OmniSeafood is created with non-GMO soy, peas, and rice, contains omega-3, and has no trans fat or cholesterol.

While OmniSeafood is not yet available in supermarkets, guests can try dishes created with it at Kind Kitchen in Central and all Green Common locations except Alexandra House. From mid-July, Ming Court in Wan Chai and restaurants in the Cordis Hong Kong hotel will serve OmniSeafood.

Next Gen, with Tindle – touted as "chicken created from plants," is another firm eager to help preserve the earth by entering the plant-based protein race. It only comprises nine ingredients, compared to 18 in Beyond Meat's and 19 in Impossible Foods' replacement protein.

Tindle's production has a lower environmental impact than raising and killing chickens, needing 74% less land, 82% less water, and emitting 88% less greenhouse gases, according to the business, which cites Blue Horizon's 2020 Environmental Impacts Of Animal And Plant-Based Food Report.

Katsumoto Sando, Big Birdy, Alvy's, Bo Innovation, Potato Head, and Cococabana are among the eateries that have added the product to their menus in Hong Kong.

Tindle plant-based chicken is currently only accessible in restaurants, where chefs are experimenting with new methods to prepare it, which could help determine how it will be sold in the future.

Marc Jolly is the Asia Pacific growth director for Tindle's manufacturer, Next Gen. According to him, global meat consumption is anticipated to increase by 35% by 2050, and even more in Asia. He emphasises that this increase is unsustainable.

Tindle is made into patties that are similar to dough. It may be moulded into shapes, torn into strips, and then grilled, pan-fried, deep-fried, roasted, and even poached in its raw form, exactly like chicken meat.

The W Nachos Tindle Fiesta is a vegetarian burger made with a deep-fried Tindle patty seasoned with tequila and jalapeos, breaded and topped with Cheddar cheese and guacamole, as well as nachos on top.

Gil likes Tindle's adaptability since it gives him another choice when dealing with increased requests for vegetarian or vegan recipes.

BY

P.R. HATHIJA BEGUM.