Israeli cultured meat pioneer Aleph Farms, and its research partner Technion, have cultivated their first slaughter-free thick cut ribeye steak, using 3D bioprinting technology and cow cells free from genetic engineering.
Back in 2018, vegconomist reported on Aleph Farms’ first commercial thin cut steak from cultured meat technology, and now in only two years, the company claims to have produced the world’s first cultured thick cut ribeye steak incorporating muscle and fat similar to its slaughtered counterpart. The company now reports to have the ability to produce any type of steak it wants, with plans to create a line of quality meat products using its patented bioprinting process.
Unlike 3D printing technology, Aleph Farms’ 3D bioprinting technology involves printing live cells that are then incubated to grow, differentiate and interact in order to acquire the texture and qualities of a real steak. Using cellular agriculture in this way consumes a fraction of the resources, as well as being far less carbon-intensive and, of course, cruelty- and slaughter- free. Crucially, the process does without antibiotics, the overuse of which is a huge health threat from animal agriculture.
The Good Food Institute Israel recently revealed exceptionally strong growth in the plant-based sector in Israel, and reveals that the growth of the alternative protein market in 2020 was 13 times greater than that for animal products. Aleph Farms looks to be at the forefront of the cultivated meat revolution, with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu showing government support for the project by recently tasting the cultured meat and touring the facilities.
“This breakthrough reflects an artistic expression of the scientific expertise of our team,” said Didier Toubia, Co-Founder and CEO of Aleph Farms. “I am blessed to work with some of the greatest people in this industry. We recognize some consumers will crave thicker and fattier cuts of meat. This accomplishment represents our commitment to meeting our consumer’s unique preferences and taste buds, and we will continue to progressively diversify our offerings.”
“With the realization of this milestone, we have broken the barriers to introducing new levels of variety into the cultivated meat cuts we can now produce. As we look into the future of 3D bioprinting, the opportunities are endless,” said Technion Professor Shulamit Levenberg, Aleph’s Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor.
