An unusual patent describes a method to 3D print plant-based salmon sashimi.
Patent WO2026021113A1 describes a method of printing a material to visually and texturally represent a chunk of fresh, raw salmon:
“A plant-based salmon sashimi and a 3D food printing method for preparing the plant-based salmon sashimi. The plant-based salmon sashimi includes an orange layer and a white layer which are spaced.”
This is precisely what raw salmon looks like: orange with some whiter planes through the meat.
The patent describes the component ratio for these two materials, and suggests that there are big advantages to a plant-based meat. These include:
- No pollution
- No need to worry about parasites or harmful bacteria
- No heavy metals
In this diagram, you can see a two-extruder device, presumably with each extruder loaded with the corresponding material. They say that the system could produce plant-based replicas of salmon loin or salmon belly.
This is the first time I’ve seen a food 3D printing patent, although there certainly must be some focused on beef steaks. I am now wondering whether the increased capability of 3D printers could lead to many more types of food patents.
Imagine a future world where food is much more frequently 3D printed, and you’d have to buy the correct machine to produce the specific food you want. For example, you might see a scenario like this: System A is licensed to print salmon and tuna, but for steak you must buy System B.
That’s not the case today: any kitchen tool you purchase can be used to produce any recipe you want. Food patents like this could restrict capabilities in ways we have never experienced.
Via Espacenet
