With the rise of veganism, vegetarianism, and even just people who want their meat in an ethical fashion, labs have started to explore the idea of 3D printing meat, like steak. This began to gain popularity on TikTok as people found out, but many, like Junior Abigail Raikes, exclaim, “There ain’t no way!”
What Is 3D Printed Steak?
3D printed steak is made up of either animal stem cells or plant proteins. Stem cells are cells that have not yet decided what they want to grow into. For example, there are cells that are specially designed to grow into your skin and others to grow into your blood cells. Since stem cells have not yet started the process of choosing a certain function, scientists can turn stem cells into any type of cell needed. Steak and meat in general are known to be sources of protein, so scientists take the proteins in plants to create this lab “grown” steak, allowing it to meet the protein requirements for meat while still not using any cow cells.
Why is 3D Printed Steak a Thing?
Many people wonder why 3D Printed Steak is a thing. Junior Marley Parreco’s says, “3D Printed Steak is a thing so we don’t have to kill many cows, and we don’t have to pay the money to maintain them.”
While like the truth is, the real reason is to meet the demands for meat alternatives and reduce food waste and climate change. Because of this, companies have started to invest in research for 3D Printed Steak. Since this type of steak does not require the farming of cows, the land needed to house them is omitted, along with its effect on the climate. The idea is that with the demand for cows decreasing, the greenhouse gases produced by cows will also decrease. Companies also hope to make a profit once 3D Printed Steak becomes less expensive, as the cost to care for the animals will be eliminated .
Customizability of 3D Printed Steaks:
Since 3D Printed Steak is entirely made through a 3D printer, it allows the customer to customize the marbling on their steaks. 3D Printed Steaks can also have more nutrients added to them, allowing them to become healthier than regular meat in some instances. Flavor, size, and the meat structure can also be fully customizable.
3D Printed Steak might sound like a strange concept, but it can be quite good for the environment and even your body. With it being slaughter-free and able to be made from either real stem cells or plant proteins, 3D Printed Steak can fit into whatever diet or interest you have.
