An Israeli company has developed the world's first 3D-printed vegan steak, with the same appearance, texture and taste as meat from an animal.
The start up Redefine Meat, founded in 2018, has been trialing its faux steak at restaurants in Israel this year, with plans to distribute it worldwide in 2021, reports Reuters.
Their website says the company uses: "proprietary 3D meat modelling, food formulations and food printing technology to deliver a new category of complex- matrix 'meat' in a cost effective and scalable way".
The development has come in a time of growing popularity for fake meat. Products such as Beyond Burger have arisen, but nothing has been able to replicate a butcher's cut of meat.
CEO of Redefine Meat, Eschar Ben-Shitrit told Reuters a 3D printer is necessary to simulate a flesh like structure.
"You need a 3D printer to mimic the structure of the muscle of the animal."
Ben-Shitrit said the 3D printing meat machines will be able to print 20kg of vegan steak an hour, at a much lower cost than the production of real meat.
According to Forbes, fake meat sales soared in May amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, due to a new found concern for food and meat safety.
