3D Printed Meat Reprise

Here at 3D Rapid Print, one of the fastest growing 3D Printing companies in the Thames Valley, we like to keep abreast of the latest innovations in 3D printing.

On August 24th 2021, Osaka University in Japan announced that a group of its scientists had used Wagyu cows’ stem cells to 3D print meat containing muscle, fat and blood vessels, which was arranged to replicate the structure of real Wagyu beef. (Wagyu is Japanese for Japanese cattle and its marbling gives the meat its rich flavours and distinctive texture.) The team started with 2 types of cells called bovine satellite cells and adipose-derived stem cells, which under the right laboratory conditions can be made to differentiate into every type of cell needed to cultivate the meat.

Lead researcher Michiya Matsusaki argued that the team’s technology could be improved to 3D print Wagyu beef with the customer’s desired level of fat and muscle. The team hopes that its work will lead to synthetic meat becoming more widely available and made in a more environmentally sustainable manner. Their research was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Other examples of 3D printed meat involve food technology company Redefine Meat of Rehovot, Israel. In January 2021, it collaborated with Israeli meat distributor Best Meister to set up a food truck in Tel-Aviv to target up to 200 tastings in 2 days. The truck claimed to sell staple Mediterranean meat foods, although it was actually selling Redefine Meat’s 3D printed meat. Redefine Meat proclaimed that more than 600 customers bought from the truck, buying almost 1000 servings of meat that sold out in less than 5 hours.

3D printing is an amazing tool. It can grow your small business or start a mini revolution in an industry. Explore what it can do for you when you contact us today.

Disclaimer: Featured image of “David Teniers II – Butchershop ( Le Cuisinier Flamand)” is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer.