Researchers have developed a new calamari made out of plants that accurately reproduces the look, feel and shape of squid rings. During the ACS Fall 2023 conference, we presented an exciting new seafood alternative. This product is a perfect showcase of 3D-printing technology’s capacity to craft vegan products that compete with the best of traditional seafood. Poornima Vijayan, Dejian Huang, and their talented team are doing crucial, inspiring work on this project. They seek to address the growing consumer demand for sustainable, local and ethically-produced sources of food.
Chefs then shaped the 3D-printed calamari using a specialty paste. They did a ton of cooking and warming up tests to determine the best ratio of ingredients to use. Researchers tested several different versions of the recipe. They varied the levels of mung bean protein isolate, powdered light-yellow microalgae, gellan gum, and canola oil. These ingredients were carefully selected to enhance the product’s texture and nutritional profile while ensuring it meets consumer expectations for taste and appearance.
Recipe Variations and Testing
The research team went through a rigorous testing process, trying many variations of their printable paste recipe to bring it to life. Each variation incorporated different proportions of key components: mung bean protein isolate served as the primary protein source, while powdered microalgae added color and additional nutrients. Gellan gum served as a thickening agent, helping to complete the texture of the calamari.
Besides these ingredients, the researchers added canola oil to include fat content critical for flavor and mouthfeel. They tuned these aspects to develop a calamari substitute that replicates the typical seafood. Their intention was to provide a really enjoyable eating experience, too. The team finally found the right combination to create a texture that closely replicates true calamari. The obtained findings indicate the optimum formulation can be achieved using 1.5% gellan gum, 2% canola oil, and 10% powdered microalgae augmented.
Achieving Authenticity in Plant-Based Seafood
One of the primary objectives of developing plant-based seafood alternatives is to ensure they closely resemble their traditional counterparts in flavor, texture, and nutritional content. The sub-committee’s goal was for the new calamari to check each of those boxes. Not to mention it’s loaded with more protein than other animal-based meat alternatives! The plant-based version is about 19% protein, beating out the 14% protein usually found in squid.
The researchers are confident that this new method of producing plant-based seafood is a good step toward realizing these benefits. It gives Americans access to nutritious, sustainable agricultural products. These replacements reproduce every quality of real fish—from its taste, to its texture, to its appearance. In doing so, they open themselves up to a broader customer base, including people who were scared away from plant-based options in the past due to authenticity issues.
Future Implications for Sustainable Seafood
As environmental concerns drive a shift toward more sustainable food sources, plant-based seafood alternatives are gaining traction in the market. This research is an optimistic indication of progress toward developing viable alternatives to conventional seafood products. With the right formulations, researchers are able to 3D-print calamari that would be indistinguishable from actual squid rings. Their hope is to inspire additional breakthroughs in this dynamic field.
The potential for this new technology go far beyond rainy-day calamari. Researchers just getting a handle on the most effective approaches and testing out various ingredient mix. Along the way, this exploration exposes a huge market opportunity for diverse, innovative, and delicious new plant-based seafood products. Passing these measures would be a significant step toward preventing overfishing and easing the environmental damage that results from traditional seafood harvesting.