Cultured meat platform developed through the structuring of edible microcarrier-derived microtissues with oleogel-based fat substitute

Abstract

With the increasing global demand for meat, cultured meat technologies are emerging, offering more sustainable solutions that aim to evade a future shortage of meat. Here, we demonstrate a cultured meat platform composed of edible microcarriers and an oleogel-based fat substitute. Scalable expansion of bovine mesenchymal stem cells on edible chitosan-collagen microcarriers is optimized to generate cellularized microtissues. In parallel, an oleogel system incorporated with plant protein is developed as a fat substitute, which is comparable to beef fat in appearance and texture. Combining the cellularized microtissues with the developed fat substitute, two types of cultured meat prototypes are introduced: layered cultured meat and burger-like cultured meat. While the layered prototype benefits enhanced stiffness, the burger-like prototype has a marbling meat-like appearance and a softer texture. Overall, this platform and the established technological basis may contribute to the development of different cultured meat products and promote their commercial production.