The mycoprotein product is the result of a partnership between Revo Foods and the Swedish startup Mycorena
A Vienna-based start-up, Revo Foods, has launched the first-ever 3D-printed, fungi-based vegan salmon fillet, dubbed ‘The Filet,’ in Germany’s REWE supermarket chain.
With more than 3,700 stores, REWE is one of Germany’s leading food retail companies.
The innovation comes on the heels of lab-grown chicken breast, which the US Food and Drug Administration approved as safe for consumption last year. Austrian consumers can now find ‘The Fillet’ in their local grocery stores, while the US market will have the opportunity to taste the new offering next year.
The start-up argues that its 3D-printed salmon will significantly reduce environmental impact. According to Revo Foods, the manufacturing process emits 77 to 86 percent less carbon dioxide and uses 95 percent less freshwater compared to conventional wild-caught salmon.
The vegan fillet offers 9.5 grams of protein per 100 grams, slightly less than the typical 20 grams found in natural salmon but still substantial.
The mycoprotein ingredient is the result of a partnership between Revo Foods and the Swedish startup Mycorena, with a protein base engineered specifically for 3D printing purposes, according to the companies.
Revo Foods, which started in 2020, has two patents on a new technology for continuous 3D printing of proteins, and has been funded with $6.5 million to date.
Despite a predicted boom in the global vegan market and a significant increase in investment in alternative products in 2022, UK sales of plant-based products fell in January, reflecting a slowdown in the alternative protein market.
A million fewer households bought meat-free products this January compared to last year, with only 13.7 percent of households buying one item, according to market research firm Kantar.
