WHOLE MUSCLE MEAT SUBSTITUTE AND METHODS OF OBTAINING THE SAME

The present disclosure provides a whole muscle meat substitute and method for its production using additive manufacturing techniques. Specifically, the whole muscle meat substitute comprises one or more layers of digitally printed protein-containing strands, wherein each layer comprises a single convoluted strand or a plurality of strands such that segments between folds of the single strand or the plurality of strands are arranged in an essentially parallel along their longitudinal axis, the strand or strands comprising one or more bundles of axially aligned texturized protein fibers; and wherein at least a portion of the texturized protein fibers comprises elongated fibers having a length above 5 mm. The method disclosed herein comprises operating a digital printer to dispense onto a rinter bed a single convoluted protein containing strand or a plurality of individual protein containing strands, the single strand being folded or the plurality of said strands being arranged such that segments between folds of the single strand or the plurality of strands are essentially parallel along their longitudinal axis.