We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Appetite or Distaste for Cell-Based Seafood? An Examination of Japanese Consumer Attitudes
Summary
A consumer survey examined Japanese attitudes toward cell-based seafood as an alternative to conventional seafood production, finding a mix of acceptance and reluctance shaped by food safety concerns, cultural familiarity, and perceptions of naturalness.
Conventional seafood production contributes to some of the most alarming global problems we face at present, such as the destabilization of aquatic ecosystems, human health risks, and serious concerns for the welfare of trillions of aquatic animals each year. The increasing global appetite for seafood necessitates the development of alternative production methods that meet consumer demand, while circumventing the aforementioned problems. Among such alternatives, cell-based seafood is a promising approach. For its production, cells are taken from live aquatic animals and are cultivated in growth media, thus making the rearing, catching, and slaughtering of a great number of animals redundant. In recent years, this alternative production method has transitioned from aspiration to reality, and several cell-based seafood start-ups are preparing to launch their products. Market success, however, has been reckoned to largely depend on consumer attitudes. So far, there has been little research exploring this within Asia, and none in Japan, which has one of the highest seafood consumption footprints per capita globally. The present study explores cell-based seafood-related knowledge, attitudes and behavioral intentions of Japanese consumers (n = 110) via a questionnaire-based, quantitative analysis. Although findings suggest low awareness of the concept of cell-based seafood, attitudes and intentions were positive overall, with about 70% of participants expressing an interest in tasting, and 60% expressing a general willingness to buy cell-based seafood. Younger age was significantly associated with more positive attitudes, while prior knowledge of cell-based seafood was strongly linked to willingness to pay a premium for cell-based products. While highlighting the need for information campaigns to educate Japanese consumers about cell-based seafood, this study’s findings suggest the Japanese market to be moderately ready for the launch of such products.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Nomenclature of cell-cultivated meat & seafood products
A large US consumer study (n = 2,653) examined labeling preferences for cell-cultivated meat and seafood products, finding significant variation in acceptance depending on the term used and consumer demographics. The results inform regulatory labeling decisions for novel protein technologies as they approach commercialization.
Cell‐based food needs collaborative efforts for safe production and suitable consumption
Not relevant to microplastics — this commentary discusses the safety, regulatory, and consumer acceptance challenges surrounding cell-based (lab-grown) food production.
Safety Issues in the Development of Cell-Cultured Meat
This review examines safety issues in the development of cell-cultured meat as an alternative to conventional animal husbandry, identifying unresolved concerns around food safety, production scalability, and regulatory approval that must be addressed before commercial deployment.
Patterns of affective images of animal-sourced food in Norway: Land versus sea
Researchers investigated affective images and associations that Norwegian consumers hold toward animal-sourced foods, surveying 783 people about livestock, capture fishery, aquaculture, and hunting products. They found that land-based foods (livestock, hunting) were associated with tradition and positivity, while aquaculture elicited the most negative associations and the least consumer knowledge.
Cell-cultivated aquatic food products: emerging production systems for seafood
This review examines cell-cultivated seafood, a new approach to producing fish protein by growing fish cells in a lab rather than catching or farming fish. One potential benefit is avoiding the microplastic contamination found in wild and farmed fish, since the production environment can be controlled. As concerns grow about microplastics accumulating in seafood, lab-grown alternatives could offer a way to reduce human exposure to microplastics through diet.