TLDR Tech / Product
Founders Fund's outlier bet on humanely killed fish
Shinkei is a startup that makes a refrigerator-sized robot that scans fish with computer vision, identifies the species, locates the brain, then pierces the brain and severs the gills so the fish dies before it can thrash or suffocate. The system prevents the fish from experiencing a slow death, which floods the meat with stress hormones and lactic acid, dulling the flavor and shortening shelf life. The process delays decomposition long enough for the flesh to be safely aged for days or longer before it is served. The aging period gives top-tier sashimi its concentrated, umami-heavy flavor.
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