While many people enjoy the taste of smoked salmon, not everyone agrees with the netting of wild fish or the farming of captive fish. However, there’s good news for those people: a novel algae-based smoked salmon replacement is in the works. A collaboration between Israeli startup SimpliiGood and IFF-Dupont is currently developing the product. The substitute, which resembles actual smoked salmon, is made out of “100% pure, fresh, minimally processed spirulina.”

Spirulina is a common cyanobacterium also called blue-green algae. It’s already widely used as a food ingredient and health supplement due to its high nutritional content and claims of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and brain-protective effects. According to SimpliiGood, the salmon substitute is 40% complete protein.

The algae are grown in several ponds in greenhouses located in Israel’s southern desert. About 50 tons (45 tonnes) of spirulina are harvested every year, and 98% of the water needed to cultivate the algae is recycled.

Spirulina is an excellent source of:

In addition, spirulina may improve your blood lipid levels, reduce blood pressure, suppress oxidation, and lower blood sugar levels.

Raw spirulina is processed to take on the aroma and flavor of actual smoked salmon using a proprietary procedure developed by IFF-Dupont. Meanwhile, SimpliiGood’s technology gives it a salmon-like color, texture, and mouthfeel, with the hue created by extracting a beta carotene pigment that’s found naturally in algae. However, fresh, live Spirulina is far more nutritious than its dried counterpart.

According to the partners, a final product should be on the market by the last quarter of next year. Then, possibly, other spirulina-based fish alternatives will emerge.