Chinese scientists have solved a food challenge of the ages.
Crucian carp (鲫鱼) is a popular freshwater fish with tender meat and a fresh flavor, but its many tiny bones can easily get stuck in people’s throats when the fish is eaten, and it is also difficult to process industrially. But recently researchers from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences’ Heilongjiang Fishery Research Institute have successfully cultivated the world’s first crucian carp without intermuscular bones (tiny bones). That maintains its flavor and is more commercially viable (可行的).
The research team started the project in 2009 and identified the key gene, from 1,600 candidate genes, that controls the growth of the fish’s intermuscular spine (肌间脊柱). The key gene, named bmp6, was removed without affecting the fish’s growth and reproduction. In 2020, they successfully cultivated the first generation of crucian carps without intermuscular bones with a success rate of 12.96 percent. The second generation in 2021 had a success rate of 19 percent. At the beginning of 2022, researchers released around 20,000 fish of the third generation in the test base, and began large-scale breeding. Results of an examination conducted in August showed that the success rate had reached 100 percent.
Though there is still a long way to go in terms of safety regulation and mass production, many researchers on the team remain excited. “People will no longer have to pick out tiny fish bones,” said Li Shaowu, head of the team. “This can greatly change the global fish diet culture and habits, and have a profound impact on boosting consumption of aquatic (水生的) products in the future.”
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