As the world edges closer to slaughter-free meat production, R&D within the cellular agriculture space is ramping up with commercialization of products on the horizon. However, scale-up and cost efficiencies remain a challenge. 

FoodIngredientsFirst speaks with one start-up developing customizable nanofiber scaffold system, tipped as a dro-in solution that gives the final product authentic texture and structure, with the option of adding flavor.

“The Matrix Meats scaffold mimics the extracellular matrix found in living animals,” says Devan Ohst, director of F&D at Matrix Meats.

Aside from improving texture, the company’s solution increases cell multiplication, which indicates that the cultivated end product is grown more rapidly and is thus less expensive. 

Its proprietary process transforms an array of different synthetic or organic compounds into a structural replacement for the non-muscle, non-fat (extracellular) proteins in all types of meat.

Structured growth
Ohst details that cultured cells recognize this matrix scaffold as a “home” that helps them grow in a more structured way, compared to a flat featureless surface of a bioreactor tank or cell culture plate.

Under traditional methods of production, cell-based meat often is described as having a jelly-like consistency that Matrix Meats aims to steer away from.

“Our scaffolds can be designed to add texture and flavor to the meat and be a portion of the end product, or degrade away over time wher it is no longer a factor during consumption,” he notes.

“We can provide scaffolds in large dimensions as well as microcarrier formats that don’t require separation like current inedible alternatives on the market.”

Species agnostic technology
Cellular agriculture producers have experimented with a plethora of texturizing solutions, such as Shiok Meat’s use of 3D printing to simulate the authentic mouthfeel of shrimp meat in its cell-based analog.

Many of these solutions available on the market are made from mycelium, algae or aerogels. 

Matrix Meat asserts that a number of these traditional systems are “non-customizable, come with inconsistent structures and have questionable scalability.”

The company’s own solution is not designed for any one animal type and pegged as “species agnostic.”

“The scaffold is designed to support cells from cows, pigs, chickens, fish, shrimp, and anything else that has meat, fat, skin or milk,” Ohst explains.

Backed by over 50 patents
Matrix Meats was founded in 2019 with a background in human regenerative medicine, through a joint venture between Nanofiber Solutions, a specialist in electrospun nanofiber substrates, and venture development company Ikove Capital.

“Our R&D started from an extremely strong footing of more than 50 patents and over 40 publications,” Ohst highlights.

“The unique challenges our new direction required us to face were being limited to solely food-safe materials (that additionally had to taste and feel pleasant to eat) and an unrelenting focus on scalable prices and volumes.”

Matrix Meats primarily targets customers who are looking to grow and sell cultivated products. 

Matrix Meats primarily targets customers who are looking to grow and sell cultivated products. 

“Our products are designed specifically for the needs of each producer, and to be dropped-in to their processes seamlessly, without the need for radical changes to how they grow their cells or additional expensive equipment,” says Ohst.

The market demand for texturizing solutions for cultured proteins will continue to proliferate as the novel food production method is normalized. In this space, Aleph Farms recently partnered with Mitsubishi to bring cultivated meat to Japan.

The movement is also seeing a rapid uptake in the Middle East, wher cell-based chicken debuted on the menu for selec diners at Israel’s The Chicken test kitchen. 

Seeding cellular agriculture 
Canadian researchers recently developed a new way of cultivating meat using a technique adapted from growing tissue for human transplants.

Researchers of McMaster University’s School of Biomedical Engineering devised a way to stack thin sheets of cultivated muscle and fat cells grown in a lab setting, which imbues the novel food with more natural flavor and texture than other meat alternatives.

As slaughter-free meat continues to accelerate, research into its nutritional aspects are also advancing. 

Recently, the Spanish government funded BioTech Foods with €5.2 million (US$6.3 million) to investigate the health qualities of meat produced from cellular agriculture. 

Other research has revealed that cow muscle cells can be engineered to produce beta-carotene, which the human body can then usually convert into vitamin A.