Tech That Will Blow You Away In 2023 And Beyond – SlashGear

Meat alternatives have been steadily growing in popularity over the past few years, with proponents often claiming these alternatives are both healthier for the consumer and better for the environment (via Food Policy Center). One of the most common criticisms leveled at meat substitutes is that they can never truly replicate the experience of eating real meat, since most of them don’t quite match up in either texture, flavor, or both. However, that might soon be a thing of the past, as several startups now claim to have made 3D-printed “meat” that’s more realistic than ever before.

Israeli company Redefine Meat was one of the earliest to offer 3D-printed steaks, with its first product launched in 2020. In October 2022, the brand announced a distribution partnership with a major meat importer to bring the product to shops all over Europe, including the launch of a new printing factory in the Netherlands. Redefine Meat uses a mix of soy and pea proteins, along with other vegetable-derived ingredients, to print its steaks. But, that’s not the only method being developed: another Isreali startup, Steakholder Foods, recently unveiled beef grown from bovine STEM cells (or “starter” cells) in lab conditions. Once grown, Steakholder can use the fat and muscle tissue to print a steak in any configuration, allowing buyers to be able to choose the exact fat percentage and marbling pattern desired.