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10/22/2026
TECH In-Sight: A Journal of Technology Information
3D-Printed Foods – coming to the grocery store shelves.
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I actually had to read it twice:
3D-Printed Food.
(When I think of 3D printing, it’s plastic dinosaurs, cars, little people – food wasn’t in the mix, so to speak).
I’m nobody’s chef, but I do must of the cooking at the home front.
(also, chief bottle washer).
So, I do tend to pay attention to recipes and such, looking for something different to try, maybe.
Companies called ‘Beyond’ and ‘Impossible Foods’ (that sounds enticing), have been providing those who abstain from meat products, savory flavors and textures of animal meat, all by plants, for a number of years.
And now, another company has taken a step further.
Steakholder Foods, a foreign based technology company IS using 3D-printing technology to produce plant-based meat as well as fish, that taste and emulate the real deal.
According to a September press release, the Steakholder brand, entitled ‘Perfecta’, will be offering five different varieties of plant-based options including Chicken Breast, Filet Mignon, Marbled Steak, Salmon patties and white fish patties, all courtesy of a 3D-Printer.
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My wife got me to try a Boca Burger about 10 years ago. And for those who are unfamiliar, it is a plant-based, soy protein meat alternative that is owned by Kraft-Heinz.
And the best piece of cardboard (with ketchup and mustard), I ever ate.
(clearing throat).
The press release from Steakholder company did not specify exactly what part of the country the food items would be landing,
only to state, products would be available in the Northeastern part of the US; basically, from Pennsylvania to Maine.
There are two products available on Instacart now, the Filet Mignon for $9.99 and the Marbled Steak for $9.39.
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For those with queasy stomachs, this next part may not be for you.
How it’s made – I will try and gloss over as gently as possible.
There is a difference between the Boca Burger I ate and the products being offered by Steakholder.
The Boca Burger is lab grown – also called artificial, cultured, or no-kill.
Cells are taken from the animal and grown in the lab, in a process called ‘vitro’.
Artificial or lab grown meats still comes from animals – it does not involve ‘downing’ the animal.
From the Steakhoder’s website:
(meat) “is produced using advanced 3D printing technology and a blend of plant-based and cultivated ingredients, combined with precise culinary techniques to mimic the sensory experience of traditional meat.”
Continuing:
(Ingredients include) “high-quality plant proteins such as soy and pea, natural fats, and a variety of flavor enhancers to create a meat-like taste and texture. Our cultivated meat products also incorporate cultured cells to replicate traditional meat characteristics.”
Yea, okay, but the 3D part of the equation just doesn’t mesh with my (mind) gears. So, I went looking and found the process.
If you are inclined, an edited explanation is offered below in ‘Technology Wisdom’.
Most likely, the 3D Printing of food products is here to stay – especially if it sells well and is very economical to produce.
By the way, on the packaging for the Streakholder brand ‘Perfecta’, nothing is mentioned to the fact that the product was 3D printed.
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Technology Wisdom
The 3D Printing of food:
Precision Layering: The printers deposit specialized plant-based and/or cultivated cell-based bio-inks layer by layer.
(Inks?)
Instead of traditional uniform forming machines, the technology mimics the complex, fibrous muscle and fat grain of real whole cuts like beef steaks, fillets, or white fish.
The input materials consist of customized paste-like formulations containing plant proteins, oils, and binding agents (like methylcellulose) or animal cells grown in bioreactors.
Suddenly, that Boca Burger doesn’t sound so bad.
Questions? Email the Tech Guy
[email protected]
Sources: Allrecipes; Steakholder web site; Kraft-Heinz.com; Google AI . .
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