Most of us are disconnected from the origins of our food. We rarely consider the life of the animals that become our burgers, the source of the grains in our bread, or the journey of the greens in our salads. The modern food system often feels like a mystery. This disconnect is exactly why the farm-to-table movement has gained traction – it’s an effort to reconnect us with our meals and appreciate the resources, labor, and environmental impact behind them.
While appreciating food origins is generally positive, there’s one food category where perhaps a little less information about the production process might be welcome: plant-based meats, particularly Printed Meat. While plant-based alternatives are essential for a sustainable future, the industry’s focus sometimes veers too heavily into the technical details of production – fiber-spinning, air fermentation, and various extrusion methods – potentially overshadowing the most crucial aspect: taste.
The fascination with food technology is understandable, especially in a tech-driven world. However, when the conversation at food conferences becomes dominated by technological buzzwords, the fundamental question remains: Is it actually delicious?
This brings us to the concept of 3D-printed meat. Initially, the idea of printed meat might sound unappetizing. However, considering the recent struggles in the plant-based meat market, perhaps innovative technologies like 3D printing are necessary to revitalize the sector. The novelty of 3D-printing a steak is undeniable, and when offered a chance to sample 3D-printed meat from an Israeli company, Steakholder Foods, the opportunity was too intriguing to pass up. These testing kits, described as “quite costly” and not yet available to the public, arrived promptly for a taste test.
Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, emphasizes that for plant-based meats to succeed, they must transcend mere novelty. “You need to eat a product that is amazing,” he states. Steakholder Foods provided a variety of their plant-based offerings, including 3D-printed whitefish filets, 3D-printed filet steak, and 3D-printed marbled steak. Alongside these printed meats were also burgers and fish kebabs, produced through conventional methods. The arrival of these samples was a spectacle in itself: packaged in a medical freight box filled with dry ice, the futuristic food delivery created a cloud of fog in the kitchen, signaling the arrival of food innovation.
The Promise of Printed Fish: Texture and Taste
According to Kaufman, the primary advantage of 3D-printing food lies in its ability to create desirable textures. Steakholder Foods utilizes two specialized printers: one for fish and another for meat, both employing pre-mixed ingredient blends. The meat printer boasts a production capacity of approximately 500 kilograms of plant-based meat per hour, while the fish printer produces around 100 kilograms per hour.
The whitefish filet, a prime example of printed meat, was prepared according to the provided instructions: brushed with oil and roasted at 180 degrees Celsius (360 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes. After the recommended time, the filet appeared somewhat pale, prompting a slightly longer roasting period to achieve a touch of color. While searing in a pan might have created a more appealing crust, concerns about the filet’s structural integrity and potential disintegration during flipping led to sticking with roasting. Unfortunately, these concerns were validated as the delicate filet began to fall apart during the transfer from baking tray to plate. To compensate for the rather unappealing, floppy texture, a vegan lemon butter and caper sauce was added, along with a sprinkle of parsley, and the dish was served with couscous.
Alt text: Close-up view of 3D-printed whitefish filet after roasting, showing the flaky outer layer and mousse-like texture inside, served with lemon butter caper sauce.
Kaufman suggests that 3D printing technology effectively replicates the flaky texture characteristic of fish filets in their printed meat version. However, the actual eating experience did not fully align with this claim. Upon tasting, the cooked printed meat fish exhibited a thin, flaky outer layer, but the interior presented a mousse-like consistency, with only a subtle hint of fish flavor. The texture, rather than being flaky, was overwhelmingly soft and somewhat mushy, lacking the expected firmness of a traditional fish filet.
