Introduction: As global ocean resources are gradually dwindling, can we use 3D printing technology to create delicious vegan alternatives that are comparable to real seafood?

On August 14, 2023, researchers from the National University of Singapore announced that they had successfully completed an important task. They launched a plant-based squid ring manufactured using 3D printing technology. The innovative squid rings are said to be not only nutritious but also delicious. The research team presented their latest findings at the 2023 Fall Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), held in San Francisco from August 13 to 17.

High Protein Seafood Alternatives

seafood imitations has been relatively difficult. Considering the limited nature of marine resources and the damage to marine ecology caused by overfishing, the development of sustainable seafood alternatives has become a promising path. These alternatives not only need to have rich nutritional value, but also have to be comparable in taste to the original products to attract consumers' appetite.

Poornima Vijayan, who presented the work at the ACS meeting, said: "I think seafood supply is likely to be very limited in the future and we need to prepare from an alternative protein perspective, especially in Singapore where more than 90% of fish is imported. .”

While some imitation seafood products already exist, such as imitation crabmeat, they are typically made from chopped and reshaped white fish. Creating plant-based imitation seafood with the nutrients, texture and flavor is even more challenging.

Lead researcher Dejian Huang said: "While plant-based seafood imitations already exist, their ingredients often do not contain enough protein. We hope to be able to produce protein products that are comparable to or better than real seafood and address the issue of food sustainability." .”

Huang added: "We used the protein in red lentils to print salmon fillets due to the color of the protein, and we also tried printing shrimp. Currently, we plan to print some other interesting ingredients with commercial potential, such as squid rings."

So researchers combined two sustainable high-protein plant sources: microalgae and mung beans. Microalgae is the obvious choice because of its "fishy" taste, while mung beans are a common ingredient used in Asian cuisine to make starchy noodles, but are often wasted in the process.

3D printed squid rings need further verification

They extracted microalgae and mung bean proteins and combined them with vegetable oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids to give the resulting vegan paste a nutritional profile comparable to real squid. This paste, when subjected to temperature changes, can be extruded through a 3D printing nozzle into layered rings that resemble the structure and texture of squid.

The next test was making the simulated squid rings stand up to the challenge of cooking. The researchers air-fried the samples and conducted taste tests, and the results showed good results. However, they still need to fine-tune the product before letting consumers taste it.

"Our goal is to achieve the same texture and elasticity as commercially available squid rings, and I'm looking at how the ingredients affect the elasticity and final sensory properties of the product," says Vijayan. The researchers also want to ensure that the combination of microalgae and mung beans doesn't trigger Allergic reactions to seafood.

"So far, I understand that there are relatively few cases of allergies to microalgae protein or mung bean protein, but since this is a new combination, we still need to learn more," Huang said.

The researchers hope to develop multiple plant-based seafood prototypes and eva luate how they could be used in large-scale production. Still, they're happy with what they've created.

“I believe people will love our plant-based imitation,” says Vijayan. “It not only tastes like seafood, but it’s also made entirely from sustainable plant sources.”

This 3D printed plant-based squid ring is not only rich in protein, but also looks and tastes the same as traditional squid rings. Perhaps this innovative plant-based seafood alternative could be a viable solution to the problem of overfishing.