Your Next Salmon Fillet May Come from a 3-D Printer, Rather Than a Fishing Boat

Would you believe us if we told you that your next salmon fillet might be printed by a machine instead of caught at sea? Revo Foods is introducing a fully vegan salmon fillet developed using proprietary 3-D food printing technology. The Vienna-based vegan company recently unveiled its “ultra-realistic” whole-cut plant-based salmon fillet, announcing that it expects to launch it commercially in early 2023.

Revo Foods’ team spent two years researching and developing this new food production process. The plant-based salmon is named the “generation 2.0” as the food technology company attempts to replicate the taste, texture, and look of traditional salmon fillets. The company also revealed that the new whole-cut vegan fillet is rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids with the help of pea protein and algae extracts.

Founded in 2020, Revo Foods started developing its new generation of fish products to help reduce the dangerous strains on the ocean. The company’s first-generation fish alternatives used a tofu-based. These first-generation products were debuted at Budapest Bagels in Vienna. The “Salmon With Attitude” smoked salmon was developed using the same 3-D food printing production.

This year, Revo Foods hosted its first tasting event last month for the new salmon fillet. Prepared by Michelin-starred chef Siegfried Kropf, the guests experience the potential and versatility of the innovative seafood alternative. The whole-cut fillet can be grilled, fried, or baked similar to traditional fish fillets. Kropf prepared a fried fillet with cherry tomatoes, potatoes, asparagus, and a hollandaise sauce during the tasting event.

Revo Foods also offers a creamy smoked salmon spread. The spread features smaller bites of 3-D printed seafood products. Currently, the spread is available in 16 European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria.

Last month, Revo Foods secured $2.3 million closely after unveiling the new salmon fillet. The first whole-cut, 3-D printed, and vegan fillet received positive feedback from the event. The company intends to create plant-based meat that caters to flexitarians, helping curb the industrial fishing problem.

“It’s all about structure and creating the perfect bite,” CEO of Revo Foods Robin Simsa said in a statement.

Revo Foods is helping provide the plant-based consumer with a product that is currently rare on the market. The food tech company joins the Israeli food-tech company Plantish, which debuted its vegan whole-cut salmon fillets in January. While Revo Foods’ is the world’s first 3-D printed vegan salmon fillet, Plantish claims its entirely plant-based salmon fillet is the first product of its kind. Recently, Plantish received a $2 million investment from TechAviv Founder Partners to accelerate the development of its innovative seafood product.

Both Revo Foods and Plantish aim to provide a healthy alternative to conventional seafood products, free from mercury, toxins, microplastics, and antibiotics. One recent study even suggested that seafood consumption is linked to an increased risk of skin cancer due to human- and fishing-related toxins in the ocean. Providing a plant-based salmon fillet will help reduce the consumption of the second most eaten fish in the world.

Other companies in the plant-based meat sector have begun experimenting with 3-D printing technology. The Israeli food-tech company Redefine Meat developed a 3-D printed vegan steak with the help of its proprietary artificial intelligence technology. The new technology reproduces the complex structures of animal muscles with solely plant-based ingredients.

To showcase this plant-based meat, Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White added the 3-D printed whole cut steak to his menus in the United Kingdom. Noting that “the world needs to eat less meat,” White decided to showcase how this new plant-based meat product could stand up to fine dining standards. Redefine also produces several other 3-D printed products including lamb kebabs and hamburgers.

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