Fermentation for Cultivated Meat
Cultivated Meat is a meat substitute produced through cell culture and tissue engineering technology, and its production process does not rely on traditional animal husbandry. As a professional fermentation CDMO company, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive customized solutions for the cultivated meat industry. With advanced fermentation technology and extensive production experience, we efficiently produce high-quality single-cell proteins, microbial proteins, and other essential nutrients. These products serve as core ingredients for cultivated meat culture media or important components of blended products. Additionally, we offer end-to-end services, from strain selection and fermentation process optimization to large-scale production, helping our clients reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and accelerate the commercialization of cultivated meat products.
Why Need Cultivated Meat?
It is impossible for traditional animal husbandry to meet all the meat and dietary protein demands that increase with population growth. In addition, the risk of major zoonotic disease epidemics, such as influenza, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19, may be associated with the use of animals for food. Therefore, over the past decade, cultivated meat (CM) has emerged as a breakthrough technology for producing meat outside the body of animals, as it has the potential to deliver not only nutritious (protein-rich) but mimic the traditional organoleptic properties of real meat products. However, due to its infancy, CM technology faces various limitations.
BOC Sciences is good at using microorganisms (such as yeast, bacteria) to produce single-cell proteins (SCP) through fermentation. The single-cell protein we produce can not only be used as an ingredient of "cultivated meat", but also can be used as a food additive to supplement protein or vitamins and minerals.
Connection between SCP and Cultivated Meat
- Supplementing Protein Sources
Single Cell Protein represents a nutrient-dense high-protein material generated by microbial fermentation which contains proteins along with vitamins and minerals. SCP functions as an excellent protein supplement in cultivated meat production to improve the nutritional quality of the end product.
- As a Culture Medium Component
Cultivated meat production depends on specialized culture media to enable cells to grow and differentiate. When SCP functions as a culture medium component it supplies necessary nutrients and lessens reliance on animal-derived ingredients. Yeast-derived SCP presents a viable substitute for conventional serum-based components in laboratory settings.
- Enhancing Scaffold Materials
Scaffold materials function as structural supports for cell adhesion and growth in cultivated meat tissue engineering. SCP integration with plant proteins and different scaffold materials results in improved texture and nutritional properties which help replicate conventional meat structure more effectively.
- Hybrid Product Development
Manufacturers can blend SCP with cultivated meat to form hybrid meat alternatives. Hybrid meat products merge cultivated meat's nutritional quality with SCP's production efficiency and cost-saving benefits.
- Sustainability Advantages
SCP production stands out as both highly effective and eco-friendly which allows for producing substantial amounts of protein quickly. The sustainability goals of cultivated meat focus on minimizing traditional livestock farming's environmental footprint.
Figure 1. General steps during industrial production of single cell proteins.[1]
Production Methods and Key Technologies
Cultivated meat is an alternative meat product produced through cell culture and tissue engineering techniques, without relying on traditional livestock farming. The key technological methods include:
1. Cell Sourcing
The production of cultivated meat begins with obtaining stem cells from animals. These cells, usually derived from muscle tissue or embryos, have the ability to differentiate into various cell types, such as muscle and fat cells. For example, Aleph Farms uses muscle stem cells (myoblasts) to produce beef.
2. Cell Culture and Proliferation
The obtained cells are cultured and proliferated in a nutrient-rich culture medium. The composition of the medium varies by manufacturer but generally includes essential nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins, and glucose, along with growth factors that promote cell growth. The cells are proliferated in bioreactors, which provide optimal temperature, pH levels, and oxygen concentrations.
3. Cell Differentiation and Tissue Engineering
As the cells proliferate, they enter the differentiation phase, forming muscle, fat, or other specific tissues. This process is facilitated by the nutrient medium and mechanical stimulation in the bioreactor. For example, cells can be placed on collagen hydrogels or 3D scaffolds to mimic the structure and texture of muscle tissue. Advanced technologies such as stereolithography and microfluidic spinning are also used to manufacture scaffolds that support three-dimensional cell growth.
Bioreactor Technology
4. Bioreactors are the core equipment for cultivated meat production, providing a controlled environment for cell growth and tissue development. Different companies use various types of bioreactors. For instance, Memphis Meats employs hollow-fiber bioreactors, while Mosa Meat has developed a unique stirred-tank bioreactor.
5. Harvesting and Post-Processing
Once the cells have differentiated and formed sufficient tissue, the cultivated meat is harvested from the bioreactor and purified through centrifugation and filtration. The final product can be processed into hamburgers, sausages, or other meat forms based on market needs.
6. Nutritional and Quality Control
The nutritional composition of cultivated meat can be optimized by adjusting the culture medium, such as reducing saturated fat content and enhancing beneficial nutrients. Additionally, real-time monitoring technologies, such as Raman spectroscopy, are used to track metabolic processes in bioreactors, ensuring product quality.
Our Services
Culture Medium Development & Optimization: We provide customized culture medium solutions, including Single Cell Protein (SCP) and other essential nutrients produced via microbial fermentation, tailored to support the growth and differentiation of cultivated meat cells.
Cell Culture & Fermentation Technology Support: Utilizing advanced fermentation technologies, we offer technical support for cultivated meat cell culture, including strain selection, fermentation process optimization, and bioreactor operations.
Scaffold Material Development: Leveraging the unique properties of SCP, we develop scaffold materials for cell attachment and tissue engineering, enhancing the texture and sensory attributes of cultivated meat.
Hybrid Product Development: We combine SCP with cultivated meat to create nutritionally rich, cost-effective hybrid meat alternatives.
Service Advantages
Efficient Production & Cost Control: Through microbial fermentation, we efficiently produce SCP, reducing raw material costs for cultivated meat production.
Sustainability & Environmental Benefits: Fermentation-based SCP production has a lower environmental footprint, aligning with the sustainability goals of the cultivated meat industry.
Customization & Flexibility: We provide tailored culture media formulations and fermentation processes to meet diverse cultivated meat production needs.
Technical Expertise & Collaboration: With an experienced technical team and extensive industry knowledge, we offer comprehensive support from R&D to production.
Regulatory Compliance: We strictly adhere to relevant regulations and standards, ensuring our products meet food safety and quality requirements.
Service Workflow
Needs Assessment & Customized Solution Design: We collaborate with clients to evaluate their cultivated meat production needs and design customized culture media and fermentation process solutions.
Culture Medium Development & Optimization: At the laboratory scale, we develop and test culture media formulations, using microbial fermentation to produce high-quality SCP and conducting small-scale trials.
Fermentation Process Scale-up & Optimization: We scale up laboratory processes to industrial production, optimizing fermentation conditions to ensure product quality and efficiency.
Scaffold Material & Hybrid Product Development: We develop suitable scaffold materials for cultivated meat and integrate SCP into hybrid products, conducting sensory and nutritional evaluations.
Product Delivery & Technical Support: We supply final culture media, scaffold materials, or hybrid products while providing ongoing technical support and process optimization recommendations.
Reference
- Bratosin B C, et al. Single cell protein: A potential substitute in human and animal nutrition. Sustainability, 2021, 13(16): 9284.
