Marco Pierre White to sell 3D printed fake vegan steaks in his UK restaurants for £ 20-30

Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White will be selling 3D printed fake vegan steaks in his UK restaurants for £ 20-30.

The 59-year-old plans to source herbal products from Israeli company Redefine Meat, which uses 3D printing technology to mimic the taste of beef and lamb.

Combined with artificial intelligence, the process aims to produce steaks that resemble the muscles of an animal.

The products, which are made from soy and pea protein, beets, chickpeas and coconut fat, will be distributed to 22 steakhouses and three restaurants in London.

Marco Pierre White (pictured), 59, plans to source herbal products from Israeli company Redefine Meat, which uses 3D printing technology to mimic the taste of beef and lamb

Combined with artificial intelligence, the process aims to produce steaks that resemble the muscles of an animal

Mr White told The Telegraph: “When I first tasted Redefine Meat I was blown away.

“The world needs to eat less meat, but the reality is that until now plant-based meat products have been grossly insufficient in terms of the quality and versatility required for our menus. ”

Vegan steaks will be priced between £ 20 and £ 30, in the same range as tenderloin steak for £ 28.95, sirloin steak for £ 26.50 and rib eye steak for £ 28.50.

Redefine Meat first unveiled its 3D printed vegan steak in June 2020, saying it will roll it out in European restaurants this year and in supermarkets in 2022.

Eshchar Ben-Shirit, CEO and co-founder of the company, previously told The Media Line: “This is the world’s first 3D printed steak that can really pass the test of what a steak is.

“We’ve taken a big step forward because we can print steaks on a large scale and the taste and texture is amazing.

The products, which are made from soy and pea protein, beets, chickpeas and coconut fat, will be distributed to 22 steakhouses and three restaurants in London.

Fake steaks: how and why?

Research last year showed that almost two-thirds of Britons choose to eat meat substitutes, up from half in 2018.

And nearly one in four new food products on supermarket shelves in 2020 was vegan, according to consumer research firm Mintel.

The aim is to produce an alternative to meat that is as close to the real thing in terms of taste and texture, in order to appeal to those who have given up on meat or reduced their consumption for health and environmental reasons. but still love the flavor and appearance of meat.

Still, people on a vegan diet can be at risk for certain deficiencies, such as vitamin B12 – necessary for normal nerve function – and fatigue-fighting iron and zinc, which are important for fertility.

To ensure they are getting enough of these nutrients, people on a vegan diet are advised to eat fortified foods or take supplements.

Some of the new vegan “meats” are fortified and designed to mimic the real one: from fake steaks and sausages to mock meatballs and burgers.

Redefine Meat’s 3D Printed Fake Steak is high in protein and, being plant-based, does not contain cholesterol.

It digitally maps over 70 diverse sensory elements to recreate the juiciness, fat distribution and texture of real meat.

The company writes on its website: “After studying the complex structure of meat down to its molecular makeup, we understand what drives each sensory process.

“By developing our own proprietary technology, we have harnessed the ability to create new meat that will satisfy all emotional levels. “

“Until now, no one had this type of printer and we have developed it over the past two years.

It follows Milanese researcher Giuseppe Scionti who produced 3D printed vegetarian steaks and chicken in 2018, using rice or pea protein powder and seaweed components.

Using CAD software, Mr. Scionti designed a program to transform food products, which are inserted into a machine using a syringe, into a long microfilament which is then shaped into a steak. .

He said the chefs were “interested in something that looks like a steak but tastes like a mushroom.”

The scientist previously told MailOnline: “We ate them with several reporters, and they thought the plant-based prototypes had a texture similar to animal meat.

“The taste of the first prototypes is good, but it does not yet mimic the taste of animal meat.

“However, that doesn’t worry me, because technologies to mimic the taste of animal meat have already been developed in recent years, when the main challenge for me was to get the consistency and texture of animal meat, which has not yet been invented.

“There is a great demand for burgers in the United States, but in the Mediterranean region we generally prefer to eat a fibrous piece of meat, and not just ground meat products. ”

Earlier this year, Israeli company Aleph Farms also revealed a 3D bio-printed rib eye made from real cow cells, claiming it is completely cruelty-free and slaughter-free.

The company explained that harvesting cells is no more painful or invasive than a human taking a cheek swab.

The cows that donate their cells to the process are not killed, but the product is real meat, which poses a conundrum for some vegetarians who choose the diet because of their environmental concerns or cruelty to animals.

Aleph claimed that lab-grown meat offered the same delicious and juicy attributes as an authentic rib eye bought from a butcher.

CEO Didier Toubia said at the time: “We recognize that some consumers will be looking for thicker and fatter cuts of meat.

“This accomplishment represents our commitment to meeting the preferences and unique taste buds of our consumers, and we will continue to gradually diversify our offerings. “

A food technician tests a 3D printed plant-based baked steak that mimics real beef and is produced by Redefine Meat at its factory in Rehovot, Israel

A chef cuts a 3D printed plant-based steak that mimics beef at an event marking the company’s launch of its New-Meat product line at a restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel