Raising the steaks: First 3D-printed rib-eye is unveiled Laura Reiley, The Washington Post Feb. 9, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail The world's first cultivated ribeye steak produced by Israel's Aleph Farms and The Technion.Aleph Farms/Technion - Israel Institute of technology An Israeli company unveiled the first 3D-printed rib-eye steak on Tuesday, using a culture of live animal tissue, in what could be a leap forward for lab-grown meat once it receives regulatory approval. During the coronavirus pandemic, alternative protein products have soared in popularity, prompting nearly every multinational food corporation to hasten to bring its own versions to market. Frequently plant-based products have been patties or processed nuggets - "everyday" foods easier for companies to produce - that aim to ease the climate effects of the worst offender: Americans eat nearly 50 billion burgers a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.