Israeli startup makes 3D printed vegan steak they claim can actually pass as the real thing

In order for people to make a smooth shift from animal-based protein to veganism easier, an Israeli firm has manufactured a 3D printed steak but with vegan alternatives.

Redefine Meat is a startup based in Rehovot and has unveiled the ‘Alt-Steak’. The startup claims that this steak replicates the texture, taste, and look of real meat using 3D technology. The vegan steak is made with plant-based products like soy, sunflower oil, coconut fat, pea proteins along with natural flavouring and colours.[caption id="attachment_8549011" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

The startup claims that this steak replicates the texture, taste, and look of real meat using 3D technology. Image credit: Redefine Meat[/caption]The USP of the vegan steak is supposed to be similar to original meat but has no cholesterol. More than 70 different sensory characteristics of steak have been replicated carefully with informed advice and suggestion from chefs, butchers, and food technologists.

The firm is looking forward to sending its meat to popular Israeli restaurants by next month. Redefine Meat has aspirations of exporting vegan steak to European hotels by next year and supermarkets can expect to get them by 2022.

In a conversation with Medialine, Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and co-founder of Redefine Meat, talked about the vegan meat. He said, “This is the world’s first 3D-printed steak that can really pass the test of what is a steak”.

“We’ve reached a milestone because we can print steaks on a large scale and the taste and texture are amazing,” he added.

The CEO also said that initially it will be set at the same price range as that of normal meat equivalents.

According to a report in the Times of Israel, the firm had invited Israeli star chef Assaf Granit at its offices for a taste of the steak. The chef said, in a video for ‘The Great Big Jewish Food Festival’, that eight out of ten people wouldn’t know the difference between real meat and the alt-meat produced by Redefine Meat.