# Plant-Based Fish Analogs--A Review
###### Abstract  
Recently, plant-based food has become important in the global food market. The increasing demand for plant-based food is a consequence of the increase in both environmental awareness and care for animal welfare as well as the changes in nutritional recommendations. Therefore, food producers are concentrating on fulfilling consumer needs by creating alternatives to animal-based products with comparable nutritional and sensory qualities but from plant-based sources. One promising trend is the production of plant-based fish. Thus, this work aimed to summarize the possibilities of creating plant-based fish analogs, including a review of alternatives to fish products currently available on the market and the possible use of the various ingredients to produce plant-based fish analogs like fillets, slices, as well as sticks, or burgers. Furthermore, the plant-based ingredients were characterized for potential use in fish analogs production. Additionally, the study includes technologies used for plant-based fish analogs production, e.g., texturization, 3D and 4D printing, electrospinning, etc. Furthermore, future perspectives were given considering the challenges and limitations in this range. fish analogs; plant-based products; fish analog markets; texturization; 3D printing 2023 1  
There are several reasons why consumers are increasingly giving up eating fish and seafood, including ecological, ethical, or health reasons [7], which have been presented in Figure 1. Ecological aspects include overfishing, marine biodiversity reduction, and environmental destruction. Due to the growing population and increasing fish consumption, overfishing has been noted. Moreover, overfishing has led to a decline in fish populations, which has, in turn, affected marine biodiversity and ecosystem health. Additionally, fish farming practices can have a negative impact on the environment, including water pollution, habitat destruction, and the spread of disease. Unfortunately, fish are susceptible to various diseases, resulting in high mortality rates and reduced fish farm yields [8]. According to the United Nations, almost 90% of the world's marine fish stocks are overfished. Another issue is ethical aspects and the growing popularity of animal rights protection, whose supporters increasingly raise the problem of the suffering of fish. Furthermore, an increasing part of the population is giving up eating fish for health reasons. For example, the contamination of fish by microplastics poses a significant threat. Exposure to it, alone or in combination with other pollutants, can lead to various health issues in fish [9; 10]. Furthermore, although fish contains many valuable ingredients and is an essential protein source for human growth and development, issues related to mercury, dioxins, microplastics, lead, and arsenic have recently been raised [11; 12]. Heavy metals are a major source of pollution in aquatic environments and can accumulate in the tissues of fish, posing a risk to human health when consumed [13]. Considering the above reasons, in the last few years, both large companies and start-ups have tried to meet the needs of consumers--the Fact.MR report predicts a CAGR increase of the global plant-based fish market in 2021-2031 by 28%, which means that the projected market value in 2031 is 1.3 billion dollars [14]. Plant-based animal analog food products can be classified into several categories, as follows [15; 16; 17]:  
* Dairy analogs. These plant-based products mimic dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. They are typically made from nuts, soy, chickpea, oats, seeds, tapioca, yeasts, etc. Figure 1: Reasons for interest in fish analogs. Meat analogs. These are plant-based products that mimic the meat's taste, texture, and nutritional profile. They are usually made from soy, wheat, or pea protein and can be prepared in different forms, such as burgers, sausages, and meatballs. Seafood analogs.