From Nanalyze:
Can 3D Printing of Alternative Proteins Take Off?
Regular readers will be familiar with Gartner’s Hype Cycle for emerging technologies, which graphically represents the ups and downs that most new technologies undergo, as they move from the “that’s super cool” stage to “what’s it good for” stage to “here’s how we can actually make money” stage. We often refer to the Hype Cycle in articles about 3D printing – a technology with great potential but mixed results so far. 3D printing stocks, for example, continue to struggle, while some companies are finding success in on-demand manufacturing. Metal 3D printing, in particular, is showing signs that it can compete with traditional manufacturing. On the other hand, there are some applications that seem heavy on the hype, like 3D food printing. We’ve recently come across an even more niche 3D printing food category that is riding an even trendier market: alternative proteins.
The latest iteration of the Gartner Hype Cycle in 2019. You’ll notice 3D printed food doesn’t even rate. Credit: Gartner
The switch from animal products to foods that mimic meat and dairy has snowballed in the last few years, driven by concerns over climate change, human health, and animal welfare. That has led companies to cook up all sorts of alternative proteins, from growing single-cell proteins that feed on methane to fermenting dairy proteins with genetically modified yeast to producing real burgers or seafood from animal cells in a lab. Now a small handful of companies are turning to 3D printing for making alternative proteins.3D Printing Plant-based Alternative Proteins
More specifically, several startups have emerged within the last year that are focused on 3D printing plant-based alternative proteins. The most well-funded of the bunch is an Israeli company founded last year called Redefine Meat (formerly known as Jet-Eat). The Tel Aviv-based startup just raised $6 million in September for its 3D printing technology that aims to reproduce the taste, texture, and appearance of meat while using a combination of three vegetable proteins, along with plant-based fat and other ingredients. The company says that 3D printing allows it to control the production process much more precisely, especially compared to the off-the-shelf 3D printers used by other food companies.
