Printers used to just put ink on paper. Then, 3D printers made actual objects out of plastic. Now, those machines can pump out creations good enough to eat. Scientists just a fish !
Two companies teamed up to create the fish dish. Umami Meats is based in Singapore, while Steakholder Foods is based in Israel. To make the fish filets, Umami Meats takes living from real grouper fish. Scientists then grow those cells into real muscle and fat. Steakholder Foods later adds this product into “bio-ink” for 3D printers.
Creating living tissue is known as bioprinting. Scientists load the ingredients up. They let the machine get to work. The printer uses the bio-ink to squirt layer after layer of cells. Before long, a fish filet is made! The result is a food with the same texture as a real fish.
Both companies are excited about what 3D-printed fish could do for the environment. Overfishing is a big issue in our oceans, causing some fish populations to disappear. In fact, many species of grouper are in danger of dying out. If people start eating more 3D-printed fish, it could help out the fish in the sea!
The companies plan to launch their first products in 2024. They plan to start sales in Singapore and hope to to the United States.
Would you take a bite of a 3D-printed meal?
Updated June 1, 2023, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Alexa Tirapelli
