These Plant-Based ‘Alt-Steaks’ Are Made With a 3D Printer
Synthesize a “steak” dinner the way they did in “Star Trek.”
We are just that much closer to the future depicted in the Star Trek universe, where people can walk up to a “replicator,” issue an order for something like steak and eggs, and have it appear seemingly out of nothing—and maybe not even notice it’s weird, artificial food.
If the folks with Redefine Meat accomplish their goals, 3D printed food is just around the corner.
Redefine Meat prefers to call its 3D-printed plant-based meat substitute Alt-Steak, because with a cool name it’ll taste even better. And if the photos from their website are any indication, they may have room to brag, because these steaks look downright edible.
That’s apparently got everything to do with the Israel-based company’s 3D meat printing tech. While the patent is pending, Redefine Meat has been going the extra mile to ensure Alt-Steak really has the flavor and appearance we might expect from a juicy hunk of the grain-fed real thing. And they are aiming to mass-market the product on a global scale.
Redefine Meat has created their product in consultation with expert butchers, chefs, food technologists and even a “taste expert.”
With what they learned, the company used digital mapping to create 70 sensorial guidelines for Alt-Steak. All geared toward truly replicating the details of a premium cut of actual meat, including marbling, moisture, and mouthfeel.
Here’s more from Redefine Meat’s “What We Do” page:
Redefine Meat technology produces animal-free meat with the same appearance, texture and flavor of animal meat, from natural and sustainable ingredients.
Our technology combines proprietary 3D meat modeling, food formulations and food printing technology to deliver a new category of complex-matrix “meat” in a cost effective and scalable way.
Redefine Meat has 95% smaller environmental impact, no cholesterol, and is more affordable compared to animal meat.
Okay, but how close are we really to simply downloading a template for good ribeye and printing it out in the kitchen?
Redefine Meat has a goal of incorporating its plant matter imitation meat formulations and stepping up the manufacture of their 3D printers by 2021.
If you think you can actually stomach a 3D printed steak, learn more about it at redefinemeat.com.
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