For several years, proposals for 3D printed food have been appearing regularly. More often, they are only a trivia or marketing gadget than a practical solution to the problem. A few years ago it turned out that 3D printing can be successfully used to create meat substitutes – both vegan options and products created from the so-called synthetic meat, i.e. created directly from cells, without having to breed or slaughter animals.
As it turns out, this dynamically developing market caught the attention of investors who did not hesitate to spend millions on the implementation of ideas of companies from the printed food industry. And so, Memphis Meat raised over $ 160 million to develop a method of producing meat from cells. In turn, Redefine Meat has raised $ 6 million in funding to create a 3D printer printing “meat”. Recently, the first effects of their work were presented, which look promising…
The product they presented is Alt-Steak was created without any animal ingredients. However, looking at the photos presented by the company, it could easily be mistaken for a rare beef steak. Until now, the visual side was not the strongest side of this type of products. Alt-Steak is probably the first, so realistic vegan meat replacement, created using 3D printing technology.
The product was created under the watchful eye of technology and taste specialists – butchers and chefs. Already this year, the chops will be on the test menus of high-class restaurants around the world. According to the creators, they managed to reflect not only the appearance but also the taste of the meat. Thanks to the 3D printing technology used, we have also achieved a fibrous structure imitating beef steak.
While working on their product, the creators used three types of “mascaras” – Alt-Muscle, Alt-Fat and Alt-Blood, imitating animal muscles, fat and blood in turn. Their three-dimensional distribution allows you to recreate the structure of the meat and the sensations that occur when eating beef. In addition, the product is completely free of cholesterol, making its food a real pleasure, without having to worry about the consequences for our vascular system.
Importantly, the manufacturer ensures that creating their product does not require as much money as previously attempted 3D printing of meat replacements. Due to this fact, they can be launched on an international scale.
As announced, the product is expected to be officially distributed in 2021.