When it comes to our diets, meat has always been a critical part of meals in cultures worldwide. Indeed, the US has the second highest consumption of meat in the World. However, that has started to change, with per capita red meat and poultry consumption expected to decrease in 2022. Furthermore, the increased demand for meat and fish substitutes also shows that society’s consumption is undergoing a change. We have previously reported on Revo Foods, an Austrian company that has been using 3D printing to produce high-end plant-based seafood. In fact, it was the first to launch 3D-printed salmon and tuna. The fact that these products are now sold in more than 3,000 stores across Europe reinforces the need for meat substitutes. For this reason, Revo Foods has now entered into a partnership with Mycorena to benefit from their similar goals.
As a food tech company, Mycorena has always focused on sustainability, pursuing it since their founding in 2017. Their technology is based on mushroom biotechnology, which they use to produce vegan proteins for food – and they do it in a sustainable and resource-efficient way! The Swedish company is therefore looking to partner with Revo Foods to advance research into the use of mycoprotein within 3D food printing to provide new alternatives for seafood consumption.
Revo Foods started making vegan salmon and tuna using 3D printing (photo credits: Revo Foods)
Sustainable and Vegan Consumption of Meat and Fish Thanks to 3D Printing
In the course of the Mycorena and Revo Foods research project, not only seafood but also sliced meats are expected to benefit from the innovation. This is thanks to the meat-like characteristics that Mycoprotein has along with the possibility of different shapes. The result? A completely new product segment that is nevertheless close to meat and that can now be created using 3D printing.
In the long term, the aim is to eliminate the barrier between animal and plant-based or vegan products as far as possible and thus also create greater social acceptance of meat and fish alternatives. Overall, the products are expected to have a soft, fibrous texture, given by the printable mycoprotein, and a light color with a neutral taste. And that’s what makes it an excellent option for meat- and fish-free alternatives. “We have always been interested in food 3D printing and saw that creating a printable mycelium material would probably open doors to creating amazing, unique products. With this technology, the possibilities for texture and form are on another level compared to current meat analogues, being restricted only by imagination, not processing methods,” explained Paulo Teixeira, CIO at Mycorena.
Revo Foods is also very happy and optimistic about the partnership with Mycorena and the production of vegan products thanks to 3D printing, as Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods, commented: “Mycoprotein is a very interesting ingredient for vegan seafood alternatives, however, we were previously limited in using it in our proprietary 3D food printing process as the fibrous behaviour was altered. With this new collaboration with Mycorena, we see huge potential to develop the printable mycoprotein further, which can lift meat/seafood alternatives to the next quality level, necessary for large-scale consumer adoption.”
Moreover, there are a number of additional benefits of the 3D printed food. Storage space can be saved by producing as needed, there is also a better mouthfeel due to the realistic sensory characteristics, and the ingredients are also considered extremely promising. “We are very excited to finally reveal our collaboration with Revo Foods. We believe we will create some truly unique products here, making it easy for consumers to enjoy delicious seafood in a healthy and sustainable way.” concluded Kristina Karlsson, R&D Manager at Mycorena. If you would like to learn more, please click HERE.
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*Cover Photo Credits: Mycorena