A startup is 3D printing plant-based steaks to recreate the taste and texture of the real thing — see how they do it

Redefine Meat.REUTERS/Amir Cohen

• Israeli startup Redefine Meat is experimenting with 3D-printed steak.
• The 3D printed steaks will be available at high-end European restaurants by the end of the year.
• The printing process is designed to mimic the texture and taste of real meat.

Israeli startup Redefine Meat is working to create the perfect meatless steak using 3D printing.

The alternative meat industry is booming, projected to be valued at $8.1 billion by 2026. Sausage, ground beef, and more recently chicken have each had their moment as the alternative meat in the spotlight, but steak remains a mostly untapped area. Cuts like steak have the highest profits in the meat industry, but recreating the texture of muscle and fat has proven difficult. Redefine Meat thinks it can do just that.

Competitors like Novameat in Spain are also pushing ahead, and coronavirus-induced meat shortages pushed alternative meat companies even further into the spotlight. Faux steaks might not be available in the grocery store for a while, but they could indicate where food tech is going.

See how Redefine Meat prints its steaks here.