Hybrid Extrusion Printing: Structured Meat Analogues from the 3D Printer

Developing meat substitutes that convincingly mimic both the flavour and the texture of real meat remains a central challenge for food engineering. A team from the Institute of Process Engineering in Life Sciences Food Process Engineering (BLTLVT) is working on a promising solution: In a process known as hybrid extrusion printing, protein-rich and fat-rich phases are printed side by side in a controlled manner, allowing the replication of complex, meat-like structures. The goal is to recreate the characteristic arrangement of „muscle“ and „fat“ in such a way that the bite, juiciness and mouthfeel closely
match those of conventional meat products – while maintaining high production efficiency and low material waste. The method combines process engineering expertise with tailored food formulations and could help lift sustainable alternatives to animal meat into higher quality levels. The research team received an award at the NEULAND Innovation Contest and sees great potential for transfer and scaling.