Cultivated meat production is a fascinating and complex process. In many parts of the world, regulatory approval has still not been achieved. One of the main barriers to commercialisation is cost, and one of the main costs is the use of growth factors.
Growth factors play a crucial role in producing cultivated meat by stimulating the growth of cells. However, they are also quite expensive, making it challenging for cultivated meat producers to offer their products at consumer-friendly prices.
Excitingly, a new study published in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability, demonstrates that bovine cells can be engineered to create their own growth factors. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the industry by reducing production costs.
According to lead researcher Andrew Stout, “These systems offer the potential to dramatically lower the cost of cultured meat production by enlisting the cells themselves to work with us in the processes, requiring fewer external inputs (added ingredients), and therefore fewer secondary production processes for those inputs.”
Growth factors are essential because they provide a signal for cells to grow and differentiate. For example, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) trigger the growth of skeletal muscle cells. Without such growth factors, cell growth decays. However, they are often an expensive part of the cell culture media and must be frequently replaced.
Stout explained, “Currently, the price is high because the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are produced recombinantly, whereby bacteria are engineered to produce the proteins, and they are then harvested from those bacteria.”
The study holds significant promise for the cultivated meat industry by potentially reducing the need for expensive growth factors, paving the way for more affordable and sustainable meat production.