Impresión 3D de “carnes” vegetales: un paso hacia alimentos sostenibles con textura realista

El equipo encabezado por la Dra. Adela Acosta Marchetti junto con Juan J. Juarez García, Misael A. López y el Dr. Jorge Cardona; desarrolló un estudio pionero en el que evaluaron la capacidad de elaborar carnes vegetales mediante impresión 3D, usando proteínas de soya y de chícharo como base, combinadas con alginato de sodio y transglutaminasa como agentes de estructura.

Los autores diseñaron “tintas alimentarias” —mezclas pastosas apropiadas para impresión 3D— que simulan la consistencia de músculo, y exploraron cómo variaciones en la formulación afectan la calidad de la impresión: su fidelidad al diseño digital, la retención de forma con el paso del tiempo, y las propiedades de textura (dureza, cohesión).

Among the most relevant results, formulations based on pea protein exhibited a wider “printability” window, meaning they were easier to extrude and better maintained their shape, whereas soy-based formulations tended to deform less over time. (cetjournal.it) In addition, the combination of alginate and transglutaminase made it possible to obtain structures with greater hardness and cohesiveness, bringing them closer to the mechanical characteristics of real meat. (cetjournal.it)

This study demonstrates that 3D printing can be used to produce meat analogs from plant-based ingredients with a fibrous structure and acceptable texture, representing a significant advance toward more sustainable foods with a lower environmental impact and a viable alternative to traditional meat.

Furthermore, the findings provide concrete guidelines for optimizing industrial or artisanal processes: variations in the base protein, the proportion of structuring agents, and printing parameters can modulate the quality of the final product. This offers a solid foundation for the future development of “plant-printed” food products aimed at consumers concerned with health, sustainability, and animal welfare.