Marco Pierre White's 3D-printed steak throws 'Good Morning Britain' viewers

Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White discussed the new 3D printed vegan 'steak' added to his menu on Good Morning Britain – and viewers are left divided.

"It's very clever," says Pierre White, who was vegan for nine months himself, before stopping as he didn't feel satisfied.

"But we didn't have that then, we didn't have new meat in those days. But I eat this once or twice a week, it's very good," he added, before asking hosts Martin Lewis and Susanna Reid for their verdict.

"I'm enjoying it," said Lewis instantly. "So the first question is, 'Is it nice?' Yes it's nice.

"Clearly, you've cooked it, it's got lots of flavours. I can taste the gravy and the meat flavours and the spinach underneath.

"Texture-wise, it's pretty close."

However, he added, "It doesn't have the sort of rib-eye, fatty meat quality that a rib-eye steak would. So it's a little, texture-wise, blander than a real steak, but the fact I'm even getting into a conversation about how it compares I think is quite impressive.

"Lots of people have vegan burgers... this is the real challenge.

"It's not bad at all, it's certainly the closest I've tasted," he concluded.

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But some viewers have been left a little confused, sharing their thoughts on Twitter.

"If Vegans and Vegetarians are real why do they insist on eating food that looks like MEAT?" said one.

Another echoed this with, "So Vegans want their food to have the texture of meat, look like meat and taste like meat, hahaha just a wild stab in the dark but!! Just eat meat."

"Stop calling it meat, if it's plant based it's not meat is it," said another, while another ruled it out completely with, "3D printed steak? No thanks..."

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Meanwhile others had more practical questions like, "3d printed meat, what actually is that? How many calories, are there chemicals in it, is there a vitamin, mineral, iron content?"

While some were unlikely to try meat substitutes themselves, they could understand the main point is to help encourage meat-eaters to move away from the real thing.

Others, however, were more than keen. "So good to hear about these new products that prevent the suffering of Sentient beings [animals able to experience feelings]. I would imagine the price at present will be high but once it's out there it will become affordable to everyone," commented one.

"3D printed meat – looks good," said another.

While Redefine Meat hasn’t confirmed which exact protein it uses, the ‘meat’ is printed via a machine using ingredients such as soy and pea protein, along with beetroot, chickpeas and coconut fat.

Most 3D food printers take edible ingredients and 'print' the material through a nozzle, one layer at a time, into chosen shapes, to replicate three-dimensional food. This process is known as 'additive manufacturing'.

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Lewis then also asked whether there were environmental benefits of the 3D 'fake steak', compared to farming real meat.

"Of course, 95% less water and less pollution, and of course no animals involved," said Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, chief executive and founder of Redefine Meat, which prints the meat.

"What you're eating here is just the beginning, so imagine what will be with the steak 10 years from now.

"The thing is, it did lack fat, but it's also a benefit because it has less fat than animal meat. But we're trying to make it more fatty exactly to get to the rib-eye that I want and you want so much."

The Redefine Meat website says products are made from 'non-GMO [genetically modified organism], plant-based ingredients, are antibiotic and cholesterol-free, and do not contain any animal-based ingredients and by-products'.

Pierre White first announced plans in November last year to serve vegan 3D printed steaks at his UK restaurants, with reports claiming these types of products could be priced between £20 and £30.