Launch of "Euglena-fed" Kuruma Shrimp from Taketomi Island
Taketomi Shrimp Farming and Euglena Co., Ltd. announced the online sale of sustainable "Euglena-fed" Kuruma shrimp starting May 20, 2026. Scientific analysis confirmed an increase in umami components.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 00:30
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 16:02
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 18:24 (2h 22m after Collected)
Taketomi Shrimp Farming Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Taketomi Town, Okinawa, Representative: Nagao Nitta, hereinafter "Taketomi Shrimp Farming") and Euglena Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Mitsuru Izumo, hereinafter "Euglena") announced that they will sell a limited quantity of "Euglena-fed" Kuruma shrimp on their online site.
"Euglena-fed" is a program designed to help consumers easily identify sustainable primary industry products that utilize Euglena-derived resources. This shrimp is the second product to receive this certification in the marine sector.
Furthermore, taste analysis of this product showed a tendency for higher levels of umami components (IMP and AMP), suggesting that feeding Euglena-based feed may affect the taste of the Kuruma shrimp.
Since its founding, Taketomi Shrimp Farming has utilized the rich natural environment of Taketomi Island, employing sustainable "land-based farming" and "low-density rearing" to reduce stress on the shrimp. Since joining the Euglena Group in 2015, they have worked with Euglena to improve production efficiency and quality, introducing automatic shrimp sorting machines and -40°C flash-freezing technology to maintain freshness.
Aiming to further enhance value, they analyzed components related to the "umami" of their shrimp and examined the impact of Euglena-based feed on taste.
The results confirmed that Taketomi Shrimp Farming's shrimp contain levels of components related to sweetness and flavor (free amino acids: glycine, alanine, and arginine) comparable to those of wild Kuruma shrimp.
In addition, when comparing shrimp fed with Euglena-based feed for one month, while there were no major differences in these amino acid components, changes were observed in components related to umami.
Specifically, nucleotides (nucleic acid-related substances) considered to be involved in the taste of Kuruma shrimp, namely inosinic acid (IMP) and adenylic acid (AMP), were found to be higher in shrimp fed with Euglena-based feed.
These results suggest that Taketomi Shrimp Farming's shrimp not only possess sweetness and flavor close to those of wild shrimp, but the feeding of Euglena-based feed also suggests a tendency for an increase in umami-related components, indicating that the feed may influence the taste.
■ Producer Comment
In addition to rearing in a blessed environment, we thoroughly practice low-density farming to ensure the shrimp grow without stress to produce higher-quality shrimp. We are also committed to our feed, making tireless efforts to improve shrimp quality.
Taketomi Shrimp Farming ships both live shrimp and frozen shrimp. By flash-chilling shrimp in ice water immediately after harvest and freezing them, we provide quality products that retain their freshness. (Shotaro Morita, Director, Taketomi Shrimp Farming)
■ About "Euglena-fed" Kuruma Shrimp
Features: Kuruma shrimp grown on nutrient-rich Euglena-based feed in an environment surrounded by the warm climate and clear seas of Taketomi Island, characterized by a balance of sweetness, flavor, and umami.
Release Date: Starting May 20, 2026 (Wed)
Sales Location: Poke-Maru Online Site (https://poke-m.com/producers/2804#detail_relation)
"Euglena-fed" is a program designed to help consumers easily identify sustainable primary industry products that utilize Euglena-derived resources. This shrimp is the second product to receive this certification in the marine sector.
Furthermore, taste analysis of this product showed a tendency for higher levels of umami components (IMP and AMP), suggesting that feeding Euglena-based feed may affect the taste of the Kuruma shrimp.
Since its founding, Taketomi Shrimp Farming has utilized the rich natural environment of Taketomi Island, employing sustainable "land-based farming" and "low-density rearing" to reduce stress on the shrimp. Since joining the Euglena Group in 2015, they have worked with Euglena to improve production efficiency and quality, introducing automatic shrimp sorting machines and -40°C flash-freezing technology to maintain freshness.
Aiming to further enhance value, they analyzed components related to the "umami" of their shrimp and examined the impact of Euglena-based feed on taste.
The results confirmed that Taketomi Shrimp Farming's shrimp contain levels of components related to sweetness and flavor (free amino acids: glycine, alanine, and arginine) comparable to those of wild Kuruma shrimp.
In addition, when comparing shrimp fed with Euglena-based feed for one month, while there were no major differences in these amino acid components, changes were observed in components related to umami.
Specifically, nucleotides (nucleic acid-related substances) considered to be involved in the taste of Kuruma shrimp, namely inosinic acid (IMP) and adenylic acid (AMP), were found to be higher in shrimp fed with Euglena-based feed.
These results suggest that Taketomi Shrimp Farming's shrimp not only possess sweetness and flavor close to those of wild shrimp, but the feeding of Euglena-based feed also suggests a tendency for an increase in umami-related components, indicating that the feed may influence the taste.
■ Producer Comment
In addition to rearing in a blessed environment, we thoroughly practice low-density farming to ensure the shrimp grow without stress to produce higher-quality shrimp. We are also committed to our feed, making tireless efforts to improve shrimp quality.
Taketomi Shrimp Farming ships both live shrimp and frozen shrimp. By flash-chilling shrimp in ice water immediately after harvest and freezing them, we provide quality products that retain their freshness. (Shotaro Morita, Director, Taketomi Shrimp Farming)
■ About "Euglena-fed" Kuruma Shrimp
Features: Kuruma shrimp grown on nutrient-rich Euglena-based feed in an environment surrounded by the warm climate and clear seas of Taketomi Island, characterized by a balance of sweetness, flavor, and umami.
Release Date: Starting May 20, 2026 (Wed)
Sales Location: Poke-Maru Online Site (https://poke-m.com/producers/2804#detail_relation)
FAQ
Why does Euglena feed improve the taste?
Analysis by Kindai University confirmed a tendency for higher levels of umami components, specifically Inosinic acid (IMP) and Adenylic acid (AMP).
What are the benefits of land-based farming?
It eliminates marine pollution risks and reduces shrimp stress through low-density rearing, allowing for a stable supply of high-quality shrimp.
How is freshness maintained?
The shrimp are instantly killed in ice water immediately after harvest and frozen using -40°C flash-freezing technology to maintain freshness.