3D Printed Plant-Based Steaks Could Arrive In 2021

For meat-lovers who are looking for vegan alternatives, it used to be rather difficult to find. Sure, one could argue that food such as mushrooms were a decent substitute as certain species like the portobello mushroom can provide a “meaty” texture, but we all know that it isn’t quite the same.

However in recent years, we’ve seen an explosion in popularity in plant-based food from Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, where reviews of either have shown that they come pretty close and that you would be hard pressed to tell that it wasn’t made out of meat. Now, an Israeli startup by the name of Refined Meat wants to take things one step further with steak.

The company has announced their plans for 2021 where they are hoping that they will be able to bring a 3D printed plant-based steak to the market. So far, plant-based meat alternatives from Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat tend to be more of the minced “meat” variety, so creating a realistic plant-based steak will require a different approach, hence the use of 3D printing.

According to the company, by using 3D printing, they’ll be able to replicate the structure of the muscle of the animal, which in turn would help create the same texture as a real steak. Whether or not it will actually taste like a steak remains to be seen, but it could be worth keeping an eye out for. The company’s 3D printing machines will be initially capable of printing 20kg per hour while being cheaper compared to actual meat.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General
Tags: 3D Printing, f&b