Steakholder Foods, an Israeli company specializing in cultivated meat products, has unveiled what it asserts to be “the world’s first” plant-based 3D-printed eel.
As per the company, Steakholder achieves the faithful recreation of the intricate texture of eel using meticulous layering and a distinctive blend of materials in its exclusive 3D printing technology. Presently, the eel product relies on plant materials, with intentions to integrate cultivated eel cells in the future, “as economies of scale permit price-competitive cell development,” stated the company.
Steakholder’s printing process allows for a significant reduction in ingredients compared to typical plant-based alternatives in its 3D-printed product.
Steakholder Foods‘ Partnership Plan
The Israeli company expressed its intent to form partnerships for the commercialization of its plant-based printed eel. It aims to offer proprietary 3D printers and ink, capable of generating immediate revenues. Steakholder anticipates that its partners and customers, leveraging the company’s existing technological capabilities, can attain extensive production of 3D-printed eel at a competitive price. This approach is designed to help them overcome the cost challenges linked to the current global prices of eel.
Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder, said, “The launch of our printed eel marks a pivotal moment in the seafood industry, showcasing the vast potential of our DropJet technology – Steakholder Foods’ solution for fish and seafood printing”.
He continued, “This technology is designed to enable partners to generate products on a potential industrial scale of hundreds of tons monthly, not only at lower costs compared to wild eel, but also with the flexibility to create a variety of printed products using the same production line. Such versatility could significantly boost profitability for food companies and lead the way to a shift towards more efficient and sustainable practices in the industry. This product exemplifies the broader possibilities our technology offers our partners.
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