Whole muscle meat substitute and methods of obtaining the same

A whole muscle meat substitute, comprising:

• one or more layers of digitally printed protein-containing strands;
• wherein each layer of the one or more layers 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 essentially parallel along a longitudinal axis thereof, the single strand or the plurality of strands comprising one or more bundles of axially aligned texturized protein fibers;
• and
• wherein at least a portion of the axially aligned texturized protein fibers comprises elongated fibers having a length above 5 mm.

A method of producing a meat substitute, the method comprising:

• introducing into a printer head of a digital printer protein-containing material;
• and
• operating the digital printer to dispense onto a printer 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 to each other along their longitudinal axis;
• wherein the protein containing strand comprises texturized protein;
• and
• wherein at least a portion of the texturized protein comprises elongated fibers having a length above 5 mm.