Technological and structural aspects of scaffold manufacturing for cultured meat: recent advances, challenges, and opportunities

Allergenicity in cultured meat: assessment and strategic management

As global population and demand for meat products rise, traditional livestock production faces major challenges in economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. Cultured meat, produced through in vitro cultivation of animal cells, has emerged as a promising alternative, offering notable environmental and public health benefits. However, safety concerns persist owing to differences in technology and materials compared with conventional food production. Additionally, a comprehensive evaluation of newly expressed proteins for allergenic potential is essential. This review examines cultured meat production processes and explores allergenicity assessment methods used for genetically modified organisms, aiming to propose an approach tailored to cultured meat. Prioritizing allergenicity assessment of cultured meat is crucial for ensuring genomic and proteomic equivalence with conventionally produced foods. It is also necessary to assess the presence of allergenic proteins and the potential for novel sensitization through integrated proteomic analysis. The allergenicity assessment framework proposed in this study will support the development of regulatory systems for cultured meat, preventing consumer safety incidents associated with these novel food products.

Fat forward: Cultivating bovine adipocytes on bioscaffolds

The advancement of cellular agriculture hinges on replicating the mouthfeel, taste, and texture of conventional meat, which are largely determined by fat tissue composed of adipocytes. However, growing cells at scale remains a significant challenge for the field. This study explores the use of edible bioscaffolds to support the large-scale production of bovine adipocytes. Scaffold-based approaches are commonly used to facilitate the proliferation of adherent cells within bioreactors, yet identifying suitable, edible scaffolds for cultured meat remains an ongoing challenge. Here, we present an efficient approach for screening biological scaffolds and evaluating their suitability for cultured meat production. We assess whole oats and unhulled buckwheat as potential substrates for bovine preadipocyte attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. Our results demonstrate that both grains support cell adhesion and growth; however, with their favourable surface properties, whole oats emerged as a promising natural bioscaffold for cultured food applications, offering both scalability and nutritional benefits.

Bio-Orchestration of Cellular Organization and Human-Preferred Sensory Texture in Cultured Meat

For cultured meat to effectively replace traditional meat, it is essential to develop scaffolds that replicate key attributes of real meat, such as taste, nutrition, flavor, and texture. However, one of the significant challenges in replicating meat characteristics with scaffolds lies in the considerable gap between the stiffness preferred by cells and the textural properties desired by humans. To address this issue, we focused on the microscale environment conducive to cell growth and the macro-scale properties favored by humans. This led to the development of the adaptive bio-orchestrating anisotropic scaffold (ABS), which satisfies both cellular and human requirements. The ABS is produced using the anisotropic freeze-initiated ion coordination method, which sequentially aligns and enhances the fibril structure of food-derived proteins, effectively bridging the gap between cellular and culinary perspectives. Notably, the microenvironments of the ABS exhibited exceptional myoblast cell differentiation, with macro-scale 3D mechanical textures that are consistent regardless of the chewing direction, due to the aligned fibril and cell structure. The ABS containing bovine myotubes demonstrated a mechanical texture nearly identical to that of beef sirloins.

Versatile platforms of mussel-inspired agarose scaffold for cell cultured meat

INTRODUCTION

Biomaterial scaffolds are critical for cell cultured meat production. polysaccharide scaffolds lack essential animal cell adhesion receptors, leading to significant challenges in cell proliferation and myogenic differentiation. Thus, enhancing cell adhesion and growth on polysaccharide scaffolds is strongly required to supply the gaps in cell-cultured meat production.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to develop a multifunctional cell-responsive hydrogel scaffold for the in vitro production of myofibers and structured cell cultured meat through a "cell adhesion-proliferation-differentiation" strategy.

METHODS

A polydopamine coating was applied to agarose hydrogel scaffolds using a dipping technique. The capability of scaffolds for myofiber preparation was assessed by evaluating cell adhesion, proliferation, and myogenic differentiation. Utilizing isolated porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells (PSMSCs), the feasibility of structured cell cultured pork tissue supported by agarose hydrogel film scaffolds was further investigated through three-dimensional imaging and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The physicochemical properties of the structured cell cultured pork tissue were evaluated through staining and texture analysis.

RESULTS

The incorporation of a polydopamine coating facilitated a remarkable 100 % cell adhesion rate on agarose hydrogel scaffolds, which also demonstrated reusability. The agarose hydrogel scaffolds retained adequate mechanical properties, enabling the adhered cells to proliferate effectively and differentiate into myofiber. Moreover, isolated PSMSCs maintained growth potential on the agarose hydrogel scaffolds, thereby imparting the scaffolds with the ability to generate substantial quantities of multinucleated myofibers. Furthermore, we established a structured cell culture pork meat model, characterized by high-density myofibers and agarose hydrogel film scaffolds, which exhibited the texture and color typical of real pork.

CONCLUSION

The innovative agarose/polydopamine scaffold functions as a multifunctional platform for cell culture, offering novel avenues for the diversification and scalable production of cultured meat, and promising significant reductions in production costs for cell cultured meat.

Engineering Considerations on Large-Scale Cultured Meat Production

In recent decades, cultured meat has received considerable interest as a sustainable alternative to traditional meat products, showing promise for addressing the inherent problems associated with conventional meat production. However, current limitations on the scalability of production and extremely high production costs have prevented their widespread adoption. Therefore, it is important to develop novel engineering strategies to overcome the current limitations in large-scale cultured meat production. Such engineering considerations have the potential for advancements in cultured meat production by providing innovative and effective solutions to the prevailing challenges. In this review, we discuss how engineering strategies have been utilized to advance cultured meat technology by categorizing the production processes of cultured meat into three distinct steps: (1) cell preparation; (2) cultured meat fabrication; and (3) cultured meat maturation. For each step, we provide a comprehensive discussion of the recent progress and its implications. In particular, we focused on the engineering considerations involved in each step of cultured meat production, with specific emphasis on large-scale production.

Investigation into Potential Allergenicity and Digestion-Resistant Linear Epitopes of Fish Skin Gelatin in Cell-Cultured Meat Scaffolds

As a key component of cell-cultured fish, fish skin gelatin (FSG)-based cell scaffold provides support structures for cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation. However, there are potential allergenicity risks contained in FSG-based scaffolds. In this study, 3D edible scaffolds were prepared by phase separation method and showed a contact angle of less than 90°, which indicated that the scaffolds were favorable for cell adhesion. Besides, the swelling ratio was greater than 200%, implying a great potential to support cell growth. The sequence homology analysis indicated that FSG was prone to cross-reaction with collagen analogues. Additionally, a food allergic model was constructed and represented that mice gavaged with cod FSG exhibited higher levels of specific antibodies, mast cell degranulation, vascular permeability, and intestinal barrier impairment than those gavaged with pangasius and tilapias FSG. Its higher allergenicity might be attributed to a higher number of digestion-resistant linear epitopes. Moreover, the higher hydrolysis degree linked to the exposure of linear epitopes to promote the combination with IgE, which was also responsible for maintaining the higher allergenicity of cod FSG. This study clarifies allergenic risks in cell-cultured fish and further study will focus on the allergenicity reduction of FSG-based cell scaffolds.

Progress of plant-derived non-starch polysaccharides and their challenges and applications in future foods

The development of future food is devoted not only to obtaining a sustainable food supply but also to providing high-quality foods for humans. Plant-derived non-starch polysaccharides (PNPs) are widely available, biocompatible, and nontoxic and have been largely applied to the food industry owing to their mechanical properties and biological activities. PNPs are considered excellent biomaterials and food ingredients contributing to future food development. However, a comprehensive review of the potential applications of PNPs in future food has not been reported. This review summarized the physicochemical and biological activities of PNPs and then discussed the structure-activity relationships of PNPs. Latest studies of PNPs on future foods including cell-cultured meat, food for special medical purposes (FSMPs), and three-dimensional-printed foods were reviewed. The challenges and prospects of PNPs applied to future food were critically proposed. PNPs with strong thermal stability are considered good thickeners, emulsifiers, and gelatinizers that greatly improve the processing adaptability of foods. The mechanical properties of PNPs and decellularized plant-based PNPs make them desirable scaffolds for cultured meat manufacturing. In addition, the biological activities of PNPs exhibit multiple health-promoting effects; therefore, PNPs can act as food ingredients producing FSMP to promote human health. Three-dimensional printing technology enhances food structures and biological activities of functional foods, which is in favor of expanding the application scopes of PNPs in future food. PNPs are promising in future food manufacturing, and more efforts need to be made to realize their commercial applications.

Decellularised plant scaffolds facilitate porcine skeletal muscle tissue engineering for cultivated meat biomanufacturing

Cultivated meat (CM) offers a sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional animal agriculture, involving cell maturation in a controlled environment. To emulate the structural complexity of traditional meat, the development of animal-free and edible scaffolds is crucial, providing vital physical and biological support during tissue development. The aligned vascular bundles of the decellularised asparagus scaffold were selected to facilitate the attachment and alignment of murine myoblasts (C2C12) and porcine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (pADMSCs). Muscle differentiation was assessed through immunofluorescence staining with muscle markers, including Myosin heavy chain (MHC), Myogenin (MYOG), and Desmin. The metabolic activity of Creatine Kinase in C2C12 differentiated cells significantly increased compared to proliferated cells. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed a significant increase in Myosin Heavy Polypeptide 1 (MYH1) and MYOG expression compared to Day 0. These results highlight the application of decellularised plant scaffold (DPS) as a promising, edible material conducive to cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation into muscle tissue. To create a CM prototype with biological mimicry, pADMSC-derived muscle and fat cells were also co-cultured on the same scaffold. The co-culture was confirmed through immunofluorescence staining of muscle markers and LipidTOX staining, revealing distinct muscle fibres and adipocytes containing lipid droplets respectively. Texture profile analysis conducted on uncooked CM prototypes and pork loin showed no significant differences in textural values. However, the pan-fried CM prototype differed significantly in hardness and chewiness compared to pork loin. Understanding the scaffolds' textural profile enhances our insight into the potential sensory attributes of CM products. DPS shows potential for advancing CM biomanufacturing.

Cultivation of Bovine Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Plant-Based Scaffolds in a Macrofluidic Single-Use Bioreactor for Cultured Meat

Reducing production costs, known as scaling, is a significant obstacle in the advancement of cultivated meat. The cultivation process hinges on several key components, e.g., cells, media, scaffolds, and bioreactors. This study demonstrates an innovative approach, departing from traditional stainless steel or glass bioreactors, by integrating food-grade plant-based scaffolds and thermoplastic film bioreactors. While thermoplastic films are commonly used for constructing fluidic systems, conventional welding methods are cost-prohibitive and lack rapid prototyping capabilities, thus inflating research and development expenses. The developed laser welding technique facilitates contamination-free and leakproof sealing of polyethylene films, enabling the efficient fabrication of macrofluidic systems with various designs and dimensions. By incorporating food-grade plant-based scaffolds, such as rice seeded with bovine mesenchymal stem cells, into these bioreactors, this study demonstrates sterile cell proliferation on scaffolds within macrofluidic systems. This approach not only reduces bioreactor prototyping and construction costs but also addresses the need for scalable solutions in both research and industrial settings. Integrating single-use bioreactors with minimal shear forces and incorporating macro carriers such as puffed rice may further enhance biomass production in a scaled-out model. The use of food-grade plant-based scaffolds aligns with sustainable practices in tissue engineering and cultured-meat production, emphasizing its suitability for diverse applications.

Tuning the efficacy of decellularized apple by coating with alginate/gelatin to behave as a bioscaffold for cultured meat production

Substantial efforts are underway to tackle the current challenges of sustainability and environmental impacts linked to orthodox animal agriculture. This had led to advancement in food innovation guiding the fabrication of edible scaffolds based cultured meat. This current research work aims to develop and validate a new approach in fabricating a 3D porous scaffold of decellularized apple coated with a polymer mixture of gelatin/alginate for cultivated meat production. The fabricated noncoated (A) and coated (CA) 3D scaffolds presented different ratios of pore sizes with the medium-sized pores (100-250 µm) being higher in the case of CA. The water absorption capacity of CA (∼64 %) was almost two folds compared to A (∼31 %) with delayed digestion in the presence of gastric simulated juice with or without pepsin. Both the scaffolds showed the capability to adhere and proliferate muscle satellite cells as single cell culture and muscle satellite along with NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells as co-culture. However, the CA scaffolds showed enhanced capability to adhere and proliferate the two cell lines on its surface compared to A. This work demonstrates an efficient way to fabricate decellularized plant scaffolds with high potential to be used in the production of cultured meat for the food industry.

Random cellulose acetate nanofibers: a breakthrough for cultivated meat production

Overcoming the challenge of creating thick, tissue-resembling muscle constructs is paramount in the field of cultivated meat production. This study investigates the remarkable potential of random cellulose acetate nanofibers (CAN) as a transformative scaffold for muscle tissue engineering (MTE), specifically in the context of cultivated meat applications. Through a comparative analysis between random and aligned CAN, utilizing C2C12 and H9c2 myoblasts, we unveil the unparalleled capabilities of random CAN in facilitating muscle differentiation, independent of differentiation media, by exploiting the YAP/TAZ-related mechanotransduction pathway. In addition, we have successfully developed a novel process for stacking cell-loaded CAN sheets, enabling the production of a three-dimensional meat product. C2C12 and H9c2 loaded CAN sheets were stacked (up to four layers) to form a ~300-400 μm thick tissue 2 cm in length, organized in a mesh of uniaxial aligned cells. To further demonstrate the effectiveness of this methodology for cultivated meat purposes, we have generated thick and viable constructs using chicken muscle satellite cells (cSCs) and random CAN. This groundbreaking discovery offers a cost-effective and biomimetic solution for cultivating and differentiating muscle cells, forging a crucial link between tissue engineering and the pursuit of sustainable and affordable cultivated meat production.