A Spanish startup called Novameat has developed a way to 3D print steak using a paste comprised of vegetable-based materials like rice, peas and seaweed. Quarter-pound cuts can be printed in about an hour. According to an article on Digital Trends, the company's founder, Giuseppe Scionti, became interested in a meat-free steak as a way to decrease the environmental impacts of agriculture.
The other advantages, according to Novameat, are the ability to avoid animal slaughter, lower cholesterol amounts, and environmental impacts such as fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Scionti also states that his approach is not only focused on replicating the taste, but mirroring the texture of meat at microscopic levels.
The company hopes their plant-based beef and chicken products will be on the market in the next three to five years.
