A vegan salmon filet became the first 3D-printed mycoprotein fish product available in supermarkets last week, where it made waves and caused a stir among experimental food lovers curious to try a 3D-printed food. We go behind the scenes of the innovative fish alternative, examining how it came about, the technology that made it possible and how likely it is for future food to include a whole wealth of 3D-printed products.
Revo Foods’ patented 3D-MassFormer technology employs a new extrusion technique that seamlessly integrates fats into a fibrous protein matrix, formulating seafood alternatives with the “flakiness” and juiciness associated with fish filets.
It is sat down with Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods, to understand the scientific and nutritional aspects of the 3D fish and its potential impact on the seafood industry in the face of the current overfishing crisis and the dramatic loss of coral reefs.
“With the milestone of industrial-scale 3D food printing, we are entering a creative food revolution, an era where food is being crafted exactly according to the customer’s needs. We are not just creating a vegan alternative; we are shaping the future of food itself,” he tells us.
“3D printed seafood can provide much more realistic textures/structures and elevates the whole experience of plant-based alternatives. Complex products such as salmon filets are for the first time possible to produce with this new technology.
Deeming it an essential milestone for 3D food printing technology, the Austrian start-up states that the mycoprotein-based filet is the “world’s first 3D-printed food” available in supermarkets, which is formulated on a mass scale using the “first ever” continuous production process for 3D-printed food.
Fungi to vegan salmon - the journey
The mycoprotein ingredient used to formulate the 3D vegan salmon filet is a type of protein that comes from a fungus and is the outcome of a collaboration between Revo Foods and Swedish start-up Mycorena.
Mycorena’s “Promyc” protein base was engineered specifically for 3D printing purposes, states the food tech innovator.
“We started working on a new production process based on 3D food printing about three years ago. We needed to develop a completely new machine because nothing for this purpose existed yet on the market. We had many trials-and-error, but slowly improved our new machine , the X1 Food Fabricator and the recipe,” Simsa reveals.
According to him, the product’s first version is already “very good” and the company plans to keep up the development and formulate improved versions soon.
The company further notes that the new process is a game-changer for meat alternatives, making it possible to create a new category of authentic products such as vegan steaks and filets.
The product has received first market reactions, with most consumers rating it highly, reveals Simsa.
“Of course, as with any food product there are also people that do not enjoy it that much, but tastes are different and that is to be expected. Overall, we are very happy and motivated to further improve our technology and the filet to make even more customers happy," he further adds.
Revo Foods is currently in an upscaling process for its production and machinery and expects to supply larger volumes of the product by the middle of next year. It is also working on new products that will be revealed in due time.
In other industry developments, US-based researchers are leveraging 3D printed ink from mung bean protein and microalgae protein to formulate vegan calamari.
A deviation from conventional extrusion
Extrusion technology has been used in the food industry for a while, with applications in pasta, puffed snacks, cereal and texturized vegetable protein. Revo Foods’ process to formulate the vegan salmon reportedly differs from the traditional technique.
“3D printing is a completely new structuring process which does not require high temperature and/or shear forces used like in traditional extrusion. This leads to more vitamins, healthy Omega 3 and micronutrients being retained in the product, compared to conventional extrusion,” Simsa explains.
The technology promotes “healthy nutrition” and enables formulators to create “much more complex food structures, perfect for whole-cut alternatives.”
It is recent special reported on innovations in the alt-protein space highlights that, even though extrusion is not something new for formulating plant-based foods, innovation in this area continues.
Is alt-seafood the antidote to overfishing?
The company flags that with up to 60% of global fish stocks being overfished, there is a severe risk of a collapsing ocean ecosystem.
While supply shortages are cropping up due to the rising demand for seafood, food businesses are also experiencing sleepless nights over added concerns about the health hazards of microplastics and heavy chemicals seeping into seafood.
“A collapse of marine biodiversity would be irreversible and catastrophic for the estimated 3 billion people around the world who depend on the oceans for food and income”, warns the alt-seafood company.
Simsa suggests a solution: “Despite dramatic losses of coral reefs and increasing levels of toxins and microplastic contaminating fish, consumer demand for seafood has paradoxically skyrocketed in recent decades. One promising solution to provide consumers with sustainable alternatives that do not contribute to overfishing is vegan seafood.”
He further explains that a vast amount of plastic in the ocean comes from discarded or destroyed fishing gear (such as destroyed nets), which in turn enlarges the problem of ocean sustainability and microplastic pollution.
“We believe that alt-seafood has the potential to both reduce overfishing by convincing more consumers of a sustainable diet and also reduce fishing overall and therefore reduce the pollution of the ocean –a win-win, we believe,” he underscores.
However, he adds that the key to the success of plant-based seafood products lies in recreating an authentic taste that appeals to flexitarians.
Last month, wheat processor Crespel & Deiters targeted flexitarians by launching wheat texturates for plant-based versions of fish filets, sausages and steaks.
Nutrition matters
A significant factor in consumers’ love for seafood is its high nutritional value, as reports state that seafood provides substantial amounts of protein, n-3 fatty acids and micronutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium, iodine, iron, zinc and phosphorus.
Moreover, various governments recommend increased seafood consumption due to its role in preventing many non-communicable diseases while addressing micronutrient deficiencies.
This makes it crucial for alt-seafood nutritional value to be at par with conventional seafood.
Revo Foods’ vegan salmon filet is based on mycoprotein, a fungi-based protein with an “excellent bioavailability and amino acid profile, making it very healthy,” notes Simsa.
“The product also has a lot of microalgae oils containing healthy Omega-3 fatty acid, as well as vitamins and micronutrients. Overall, the product is very healthy and has a nutriscore rating of A,” he underlines.
He points out that the vegan alternative is designed for cooking, just like a conventional salmon filet.
“In general, seafood alternatives have a huge potential to convince more fish lovers to switch to a sustainable diet if their quality is good enough,” he concludes.
