Scientists develop plant-based breakthrough that captures real seafood texture with uncanny accuracy: ‘Showcases the potential’

Squid may no longer be the main ingredient in calamari. Scientists have created a plant-based version using mung beans, microalgae, and a 3D printer that, once it’s battered and deep-fried, looks and tastes surprisingly close to the real thing, according to Phys.org.

Seafood alternatives have come a long way in recent years, but replicating the unique springy texture of calamari has remained a challenge — until now. A team of scientists publishing in ACS Food Science & Technology has refined their recipe and printing process to produce a vegan version that closely mirrors the bite and bounce of traditional squid, minus the environmental toll.

Led by researchers Poornima Vijayan and Dejian Huang, the team first introduced their vegan calamari at the American Chemical Society’s Fall 2023 meeting. That version was air-fried and made from a paste of microalgae and mung bean protein, shaped into rings using a food-grade 3D printer. While the taste was promising, the texture still needed work.

In the latest version, the researchers experimented with different levels of gellan gum (a thickener), canola oil (for fat), and powdered microalgae to improve the structure. They also changed their cooking process. Instead of air-frying, they froze the rings overnight, then battered and deep-fried them — closer to how most calamari is served.

They found the most realistic result came from a recipe containing 1.5% gellan gum, 2% canola oil, and 10% microalgae. Texture tests showed the rings had similar springiness and chew to squid, thanks to small air pockets in the printed structure. Microscopic analysis revealed that these voids helped soften the bite, making the final product more convincing.

Nutritionally, the plant-based version held its own. In fact, it slightly outperformed its animal-based counterpart in protein content, clocking in at 19% compared to squid’s 14%.

“This research showcases the potential of 3D printing to transform sustainable plant proteins like mung bean and microalgae into seafood analogs with comparable texture,” said Vijayan.

The breakthrough offers more than just a novel menu item. As overfishing continues to deplete marine life and threaten biodiversity, creating convincing alternatives to popular seafood could help reduce demand on fragile ecosystems, without asking consumers to sacrifice on taste or experience.

The next step is to test how real consumers respond and whether this alt-calamari can scale for restaurant or retail use. For now, it’s an encouraging sign that the future of food can be inventive, satisfying, and just a little sci-fi.

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