The American fast-food restaurant chain giant KFC is taking the next step in its innovative concept of developing a ‘future restaurant’ by introducing cutting-edge 3D printing technology to develop chicken meat.

According to sources familiar with the knowledge of the matter, the company has partnered with a Russian research firm, 3D Bioprinting Solutions, to build technology to create the world’s first chicken nuggets. The food giant claims that this chicken will be as close as possible in both appearance and taste to original KFC products while being more environmentally friendly than original meat.

Sources cite that 3D Bioprinting Solutions is developing additive bioprinting technology using plant material and chicken cells, allowing it to reproduce the texture and taste of chicken meat. The company assures that the produced meat will provide the same micro-nutrients one gets from eating chicken but without including additives used in traditional farming and agriculture.

Moreover, these meat products are also more ethical as the production procedure does not harm animals. The idea of ​​developing the 3D printed chicken arose among partners in response to the increasing popularity of a healthy lifestyle, the annual surge in demand for alternatives to conventional meat.

The companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have already marked a successful presence in plant-based meat landscape. KFC is using plant material and chicken cells to produce 3D-printed nuggets. On the other hand, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are 100% plant-based.

While the research laboratory is contributing to the scientific stuff, KFC will provide all of its signature ingredients, such as bread, spices to give the 3D-printed nuggets that renowned KFC kick.

3D bioprinting technologies were originally recognized in medicine, and recently are gaining popularity in producing meat and other food products.

Source Credit -https://mashable.com/article/kfc-3d-printed-chicken-nuggets/