Laser-based 3D high-precision printing for texture design of alternative meat

Abstract

Meat substitutes are still challenging to develop, particularly in mimicking food texture. This is because there was no technology to model meat fibers. Therefore, we developed a laser 3D printer that can mimic meat fibers. It produced an alternative meat sample with fibers oriented in uni-direction. The bonding strength among fibers could be tuned by controlling the overlap region depending on the distance of laser irradiation. This made it possible to control fiber-based “chewiness” from kakuni (braised pork belly) to steak meat. This technology enables diverse meat texture reproduction through structural and laser control.