NEW TECH FOODS

Vertical farming company GrowUp Farms has appointed Mike Hedges as its new chief executive officer. The move comes as the company seeks to accelerate its growth trajectory following a successful year marked by significant investments and expanded retail partnerships. Hedges, who brings over 20 years of experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, succeeds Marcus Whately, who has stepped down after six years in the role. Whately will remain a shareholder in the company, having played a pivotal role in its development from a start-up to a recognised brand in the UK supermarket landscape. Under Whately’s leadership, GrowUp Farms achieved several key milestones, including certification as a B Corporation and becoming the first vertical farming company to sell branded salad products in mainstream UK supermarkets. The company’s Fresh Leaf Co range, along with its Unbeleafable brand, which features Zesty Baby Leaves, has gained traction among consumers seeking fresh and sustainable produce. Chris Britton, chairman of GrowUp Farms, said: “Marcus has led our business to become the first vertical farming brand to sell branded salad in mainstream UK supermarkets. This achievement has not only been significant for our growth but also brings the UK a step closer to delivering more secure and sustainable food chains.” Hedges’ appointment comes at a crucial time for GrowUp Farms, which recently secured a £38 million investment to further enhance its operations. His previous roles at companies such as Little Moons, Proper Snacks, and Tyrrells Crisps have equipped him with a wealth of experience in integrated business development and operational excellence. Hedges is expected to leverage this expertise to drive GrowUp’s mission of transforming the UK salad category. “I am thrilled to join GrowUp at such a pivotal moment for the business,” Hedges remarked. “With a £38 million investment recently secured, GrowUp is in a strong position to build on the foundations laid by Marcus and the wider team to transform the UK salad category and become the number one salad brand that everyone reaches for on supermarket shelves.” GrowUp Farms, which has raised over £100 million since its inception in 2013, operates a state-of-the-art vertical farm on a five-acre brownfield site in Kent. The facility uses advanced technology and 100% renewable energy sourced from a co-located bioenergy plant to create an optimal growing environment for salad leaves year-round. Once fully operational, the site is projected to produce 1.4 million bags of salad weekly. The company’s products are currently available in major retailers, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-op, Spar and Iceland, reflecting a growing acceptance and demand for vertical farming solutions in the mainstream food supply chain. #GrowUp #verticalfarming #appointment #UK

In this instalment of The Cell Base's ‘Start-up spotlight,' we speak to Sebastian Lowe, co-founder of Red Tail, a British initiative that aims to help farmers produce cultivated meat and change conventional agriculture. How did Red Tail’s vision of helping farmers transition to cultivated meat technologies come about? Farmers have produced our food for thousands of years, adapting production methods to integrate the latest technology, and we believe they should continue to do so! The development of cultivated meat technology over the past decade has been incredible. However, academics and NGOs are warning of the danger that cultivated meat could pose to the livelihoods of traditional livestock farmers if the industry becomes too centralised. Consequently, we saw a need to build a framework to mitigate against the negative social impacts and help small and medium sized producers enter the industry. Our framework helps farmers to enter the cultivated meat market with very low risk. Farmers who do diversify into cultivated meat could significantly increase their profits in comparison to traditional livestock rearing, whilst simultaneously minimising their environmental impact. What’s more, if meat production can be decoupled from land-use, our framework has the potential to increase biodiversity and improve natural ecosystems on swathes of farmland. What key challenges could farmers face when integrating cultivated meat production into their existing operations? Lack of familiarity with the production process of cultivated meat is likely to be an obstacle for farmers. Resultantly, they may be unwilling to take a financial risk on a technology they are not familiar with. To overcome these challenges, we will take care of the meat production by sourcing and installing the required hardware, and then overseeing the meat production through remote monitoring and regular site visits from Red Tail biotechnicians. We also provide a financial framework that de-risks the operation for our partner farms. How will Red Tail's support enable farmers to balance profitability with sustainable practices? The average margin for traditional beef farmers today is £0.21 per kilogram. By producing cultivated meat on farms, we shorten value chains which removes many associated costs of traditional meat production (vet bills, livestock transport, abattoir costs, etc). We will therefore ensure farmers keep a higher portion of the profit from the meat produced on their farms, whilst simultaneously producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions and restoring ecosystems on areas of land no longer required for meat production. This will improve both profitability and sustainability for our partner farms. What role does cultivated meat play in your rewilding initiatives? By decoupling on-farm meat production from land use, farmers are able to maintain the same level of meat production, but repurpose land previously required for livestock rearing. This will allow farmers to profit from natural capital markets whilst maintaining their crucial role as food producers and improve biodiversity across the country. Red Tail’s expanding network of partner farms will aggregate these rewilding efforts, creating a larger initiative capable of attracting substantial investment and going some way towards restoring the severely depleted biodiversity in the country. How do you help farmers utilise existing equipment for cultivated meat production? Many farmers we have spoken to have farm buildings currently sitting empty as dead assets. Our facility will be housed in a repurposed farm building, turning these dead assets into revenue-generating buildings. As we will utilise modular hardware, we can construct a facility that is suitable for the building size, and no major infrastructure changes of the building will be required. If the partner farm is producing renewable energy, this can be utilised to further reduce the emissions and production costs of the operation.  As well as utilising existing equipment, we can utilise the existing expertise of farmers in complying with health and safety regulations and maintaining a sterile environment in the facility. What opportunities do you see for cultivated meat to diversify farmers' income streams? We recently visited a farm in Shropshire that has built a gin distillery in a repurposed farm building, and offers distillery tours and tasting sessions on site. Doing something similar with cultivated meat and hosting tasting evenings would be a great opportunity to engage and educate the local community on the benefits of cultivated meat, whilst generating additional income for our partner farmers.  Long-term, our model will open up a range of exciting opportunities for farmers to diversify beyond cultivated meat and natural capital markets. If thriving ecosystems can be restored on farmland, increasing biodiversity and attracting rare breeds, farmers could explore ecotourism opportunities on their land. Similarly, due to the lack of large predators in the UK, if farmers incorporated free-roaming herbivores such as wild boar or long-horn cattle into their rewilding projects, sporadic culls to manage numbers would produce high-quality, high-welfare rare breed meat, which farmers could sell. How has Red Tail’s model been received within the farming community, and what successes have you seen so far/when do you expect to see them? So far, farmers have been receptive to our model. We recognise that farming today is not a profitable endeavour for many, but where farms have produced food for generations, many feel a duty to continue that tradition. With weather patterns becoming more unpredictable due to climate change, producing cultivated meat indoors is a sensible diversification, particularly as it offers more regular cash flow with harvest cycles every 6-10 weeks.  Our model helps farmers become more profitable and more sustainable, but also continue their way of life as food producers. By producing cultivated meat and repurposing land previously used for livestock grazing, ecosystem restoration can coexist sustainably alongside both conventional and innovative food production.  We will open our first on-farm facility in 2026. Our key objective is to demonstrate that on-farm cultivated meat production is both viable and profitable. Once we have shown this, we hope to scale up rapidly and spread the benefits of this technology to as many farmers as possible.  Will you employ strategies to scale your model and support more farmers globally? For now, our focus is on proving our concept in the UK with our pilot in 2026. As founders, we all grew up in the British countryside and we understand the cultural importance of farming in the UK. With the removal of farming subsidies and changes to inheritance tax laws for farmers, we believe that our model can provide some much-needed financial support to farms. Additionally, the UK is ranked 29th lowest out of 218 countries in the world for biodiversity. We are one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. We therefore hope that our model, if scaled out rapidly in the UK, can go some way towards correcting this.  Consequently, our initial focus is on the UK because we believe that this will maximise our impact. However, in the long-term there definitely is scope to scale-out globally. We would look to areas where our model could have the biggest impact, such as in parts of the developing world where population growth and increased meat demand is most acutely damaging biodiverse natural ecosystems.  How do you ensure that farmers are equipped with the knowledge and resources to succeed in this new era of cellular agriculture? To ensure the process is hassle-free for our partner farmers, we will take care of the on-farm production, marketing and selling of the meat. By building a network of farmers producing cultivated meat, we are able to provide resources, best practice guides and a support network to help farmers entering into a new space. As always, there will be people opposed to this change in our food system. Building a community of like-minded farmers who can support one-another will be important to maximising the uptake and the success of on-farm cultivated meat.  #Startupspotlight #RedTail #UK #farming #exclusive

The premium segment is emerging as the primary focus for many cultivated food companies, and the reasons are clear. High-end products not only offer higher profit margins but also serve a market eager for novel, ultra-luxurious culinary experiences. With the cultivated food industry striving to achieve price parity, premium offerings represent the quickest path to profitability.   “Luxury and sustainability are increasingly pairing in the food industry, with ‘haute cuisine’ acting as a catalyst for these sustainable and high-quality innovations,” Nicolas Morin Forest, CEO of Gourmey, told The Cell  Base . The strategic emphasis on premium products allows companies to tap into a consumer base willing to pay more for both exclusivity and innovation, a trend that is setting the tone for future growth in the industry.   Roee Nir, co-founder and CEO of Forsea, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of selecting premium seafood products that can reach price parity faster than more common options. “We target only species at risk – ones that have substantial market potential and a high price point, with a real unmet market need,” Nir pointed out. “As a company focusing on cultured seafood, it is important for us to focus on products where price parity could be achieved as soon as possible. As such, premium products are the obvious choice.”   Profitability and sustainability   By focusing on cultivated freshwater eel, a species that cannot be bred in captivity, Forsea is addressing both market demand and sustainability. “Asia is the key market for us since it’s the largest market for freshwater eel,” Nir added.   Forsea’s cultivated eel targets a premium market with a substantial value proposition. The endangered species’ population has dropped by a staggering 90-95% over recent decades, causing disruptions in ecosystems and diminishing supplies of this sought-after delicacy. With a market potential in the billions, Forsea’s eel taps into a niche but highly profitable segment. “We have already established connections with strategic partners in Asia and are priming to launch our cultivated eel there, and are also eyeing high-end Asian restaurants in the US for our premium cultivated eel product,” Nir added.  For BlueNalu, another leader in the cultivated seafood space, the decision to focus on bluefin tuna toro is driven by its luxury status and high market demand.   “BlueNalu was founded on providing cell-cultured products that can provide a superior value proposition and can enable profitability when priced at parity to their conventional counterparts,” the start-up’s founder, president and CEO, Lou Cooperhouse, shared with The Cell  Base.   “Our focus on premium products came in part from a very thoughtful species selection strategy that identified bluefin tuna as the initial commercial application of our technology. Whereas bluefin tuna addresses our focus on premium products, it also addresses a range of pressing factors and strategic goals we have at BlueNalu, including food security and import displacement, consumer health and year-round supply chain availability.”   French start-up Gourmey has chosen foie gras as its flagship product, leveraging the traditional luxury associated with the French delicacy while addressing ethical and sustainability concerns. Known for its rich, buttery texture, foie gras is synonymous with high-end dining but has faced growing opposition due to the ethical implications of its traditional production methods, especially in countries where it is banned.   Gourmey’s cultivated foie gras, made from duck cells, aims to bridge this gap, offering a cruelty-free alternative that does not compromise on flavour or texture.   In July this year, Gourmey became the first company to file a submission in Europe to sell its cultivated foie gras, simultaneously filing in the US, Singapore, UK and Switzerland.   “The premium segment has always been at the forefront of food trends, where the most exciting innovations occur,” Gourmey’s Morin Forest explained. “We are witnessing thrilling commercial traction for our first product in many regions where chefs want to keep serving high-quality foie gras. Diversifying protein production is crucial for sustaining food security and contributing to sustainability objectives such as decarbonisation and biodiversity.”   New culinary experiences   While many cultivated food companies are focused on premium products that mimic traditional foods, some, like Australia’s Vow, are going a step further by creating entirely new categories of food. George Peppou, CEO of Vow, emphasised the unique opportunity cultivated meat presents: “We wanted to showcase what cultured meat can do – not replace what we already know and love but add entirely new foods into our diets.”  Vow’s Qualia, the ‘world’s first’ cultured quail product, recently received approval from the Singapore Food Agency. “Starting with a small sample of cells from a Japanese quail, we meticulously identified and isolated those contributing to its taste and texture,” Peppou added.   “After studying the cell s to discover what nutrients and environment they thrive in, the cell s were moved to a bioreactor to emulate the natural growth conditions needed to flourish. Our team of chefs then took those cells and mixed them with other ingredients to create Forged Parfait. This is an entirely new meat that had never been created before.”  These companies are positioning themselves in the high-end foodservice sector, targeting fine dining and premium grocery stores where innovation, exclusivity and sustainability are key selling points. By focusing on this premium segment, cultivated food companies are not only meeting the demands of eco-conscious consumers but also driving profitability in this evolving market.  Enjoyed reading this feature? Subscribe to The Cell Base magazine for FREE here .

The success of cultivated meat in the marketplace will depend on its ability to deliver a product that meets the nutritional standards and sensory experience of conventional meat while still maintaining the same price tag. This involves the production of a muscle tissue biomass consisting of both muscle and fat cells. Muscle tissue production is critical in order to achieve not only the authentic mouthfeel, flavour and nutritional profile of cultivated meat, but also for its economic viability. . Tamar Eigler-Hirsh, co-founder and CTO of ProFuse Technology, delves into the science and solutions shaping this critical aspect of cultivated meat production. Undifferentiated cells, although abundant and relatively easy to culture, do not possess the specialised structures found in muscle cells which contribute to texture and nutritional value that muscle tissue offers. Muscle tissue is inherently structured and organised, enabling it to provide the fibrous texture that consumers expect from meat. Undifferentiated cell biomass tends to be more gelatinous and lacks the fibrous quality that is crucial for the sensory experience of eating meat. This textural difference can significantly impact consumer acceptance, as texture is one of the primary factors influencing meat preferences. Mature muscle fibres are loaded with an intracellular protein structure called the sarcomere. The sarcomere is the functional unit in muscle fibres that facilitates contractions. This protein network is a key source of the amino acids we expect to consume in meat. Moreover, the more mature and the better organised sarcomeric structure is the higher the water retention in the muscle fibres, therefore contributing to increased biomass as well. Flavour development Flavour is one of the most significant determinants of food choices, and muscle tissue plays a crucial role in flavour development. Muscle tissue contains myoglobin and other compounds that contribute to the characteristic taste of meat. Undifferentiated cells do not develop these flavour compounds, resulting in a product that may be nutritionally adequate but lacking in the sensory appeal that drives meat consumption. Cultivating muscle tissue allows for the preservation and enhancement of these flavour profiles, making it more likely to resonate with consumers. The Maillard-Reaction, which occurs during cooking, is responsible for the distinctive flavours and aromas associated with grilled or roasted meats. Muscle cells contribute to the development of these flavours through their biochemical compositions and interactions with fats and other compounds. The success of the cultivated meat industry hinges on its ability to not only replicate muscle tissue but also harness and enhance the flavour profiles that consumers are familiar with. This is a vital consideration for producers aiming to penetrate the market and establish a loyal customer base. Cultivated meat producers who can successfully create muscle tissue with superior flavour and texture will have a competitive edge in a crowded market. The ability to differentiate products based on quality and sensory experience can command higher price points, translating into increased profitability. Furthermore, with growing consumer interest in health and wellness, cultivated meat that emphasises high protein content and nutritional value can tap into lucrative market segments. To successfully produce muscle-based cultivated meat products at scale, it’s crucial to have a reliable and reproducible source of muscle progenitor cells with high proliferation and differentiation capabilities. Additionally, these cells must eliminate the need for repeated sampling from the animal source. One approach is to differentiate embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells, which have unlimited proliferation potential but high differentiation efficiency into skeletal muscle tissue at scale is difficult to achieve. At ProFuse, we are developing a set of enabling technologies that while provide cultivated meat companies various tools to increase the efficiency of their muscle differentiation. We have developed a media supplement, ProFuse-S1 (figure 2) , that when applied to muscle progenitors significantly increases the efficiency and the speed at which mature muscle tissue can be produced. Additionally, we have developed the first non-genetically modified, spontaneously immortalised bovine myoblast cell line, ProFuse-B8 (PF-B8), with extremely high proliferation and differentiation capabilities (figure 3) . ProFuse-B8 is easily adapted to various animal-component free media formulations and can successfully generate mature muscle tissue on various edible microcarriers and scaffolds (figure 3) . The combination of the use of the ProFuse-B8 cell line and ProFuse-S1 differentiation media supplement provides cultivated meat producers an efficient system for the scale up of muscle tissue production. Economic implications The cultivation of muscle tissue also poses significant economic implications. The concept of biomass and protein quality plays a critical role in determining the efficiency and sustainability of cultivated meat production. To be economically viable, the production process must achieve high yields of muscle biomass with high protein quality while minimising costs related to inputs such as growth factors, media, and bioreactor operations or COGs (cost of goods). In the cultivated meat industry, high COGS can be a significant barrier to entry and scaling. Muscle tissue is rich in protein, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, all of which contribute to a balanced diet. High-quality protein sources are increasingly important in a world where dietary protein needs are rising, influenced by factors such as population growth and changing dietary trends. By focusing on the production of muscle tissue, cultivated meat can provide a sustainable, high-protein alternative that meets the dietary requirements and cost targets. Recent publicised data by the Israeli cultivated meat company SuperMeat demonstrated that differentiation of chicken embryonic stem cells into muscle, which was boosted by the ProFuse-S1 media supplement, contributes to nearly double in the amount the total biomass. of the product and increases the total protein content by approximately 40-50%. The importance of muscle differentiation plays a significant role in reducing COGS, as more biomass and protein is produced given a particular input in time and materials; SuperMeat reported that the higher percentage of differentiated cells in the final cultivated meat product reduces the over COGs (figure 5). In summary, the generation of muscle tissue is essential for producing a meat product with the appropriate texture, flavour, nutritional profile and price point needed in order to make a product with the highest potential for consumer acceptance. At ProFuse Technology we are continuing to develop the tools needed to produce the most authentic and mature muscle tissue at scale, including improved differentiation enhancement media supplements and additional spontaneously immortalised myoblast cell lines of various species. #ProFuse #opinion

Australia’s Vow has today launched Forged Gras in Singapore, Hong Kong and US, making it the ‘first and only’ company actively selling multiple cultured meat products in multiple markets. Vow’s Forged Gras is a cultivated foie gras, a speciality delicacy that is banned in some regions as it is made from the liver of a duck or goose fattened by force feeding. Vow says that Forged Gras pays homage to the delicacy, ‘but it’s not foie gras as we traditionally know it’. It's sourced from Japanese quail and crafted without any animal intervention. First introduced in Singapore in April this year, today’s launch coincides with the ‘first-ever’ sale of cultured meat in Hong Kong, where restaurants will sell both Vow’s Forged Parfait and Forged Gras products. Vow recently surveyed 1,000 US meat eaters, and found that only 8% had tasted foie gras, with lack of availability being one of the primary barriers. 5% of those who haven't tried foie gras cited ethics as the reason for not trying the delicacy. Vow’s solution replicates foie gras, while providing the subtle, gamey flavour profile of Japanese quail with the texture of fatty liver. Vow’s CEO George Peppou said: “At Vow, we’re paving a new path for food by using innovative technology to address real challenges around foods that people want but can’t access. The launch of Forged Gras continues our mission to bring scarce or never-before-seen foods to millions but does so in a way that seeks to innovate, not imitate. By fostering culinary imagination, we aim to create something entirely new, unconstrained by the tradition of even the oldest delicacies.” #Vow #Australia #Singapore #HongKong #US

TurtleTree has partnered with fellow Singapore-based company, Mad Foods, to enhance the brand’s oat milk coffee beverages with TurtleTree’s precision-fermented lactoferrin ingredient. The collaboration aims to enhance the nutrition and functionality of Mad Foods’ oat-based RTD Mad Coffee range, delivering key health benefits such as immune support, gut health and iron regulation. Lactoferrin, a protein traditionally derived from mammalian milk, is already used in some supplements and infant formulas. However, supply scarcity can make demand a challenge for other verticals such as sports nutrition, adult and elderly nutrition, women’s health and more. TurtleTree has utilised its precision fermentation technology to scale the production of this high-value, multifunctional protein, enabling it to meet rising demand and tackle issues around cost and supply. Its ‘LF+’ lactoferrin ingredient, which is vegan-certified , earned self-GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status in November 2023, and TurtleTree has now started to commercialise and scale its production over the past year. Mad Foods supplies 3,000 retail locations in Singapore and Malaysia, and will soon expand to Australia, with options of a single, double or decaf shot of espresso and oat milk available within its range. By utlising LF+, Mad aims to provide a more health-conscious option in a rapidly expanding market. The company said its collaboration with TurtleTree aligns with the shift toward beverages that support both physical and mental wellbeing. Fengru Lin, CEO of TurtleTree, said: “TurtleTree is very excited by Mad Foods' mission and to support their expansion into functional nutrition as well as the accessibility of this high-value protein in Singapore, Australia and beyond. It’s exhilarating to work with such passionate founders and to have the opportunity to scale this product globally.” Angelique Teo, co-founder and creative head at Mad Foods, added: “Both our global distributors and retailers are extremely excited about this partnership between Mad and TurtleTree. To tap into the $45 billion functional market is to be given the opportunity to grow exponentially.” #TurtleTree #MadFoods #Singapore

Steakholder Foods has signed six Letters of Intent (LOIs) with international companies. These agreements are said to reflect the growing demand for the company’s 3D printing systems and plant-based premixes for alternative proteins. The six LOIs cover multiple international markets, reflecting Steakholder Foods' expanding presence in the alternative protein sector. Each agreement involves the sale of the company’s 3D printing systems and/or plant-based premix blends, allowing partners to produce scalable plant-based foods. Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, said: “The LOIs represent a significant advancement in accelerating commercialisation journey. Securing further commitments from international players not only further validates the appeal of our technology and products, but also supports the growth of our revenue streams." "With these agreements, we are working to position Steakholder Foods for meaningful revenue growth in the coming years. As we expand globally, we remain dedicated to advancing sustainable, cruelty-free food solutions at scale while creating long-term value for our shareholders. We are committed to delivering commercial value to the industry and are greatly encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive market response we’ve seen recently.” #SteakholderFoods

Dutch cultivated pork firm Meatable has partnered with Desmos Capital Partners to place €30 million of capital. Investment bank Desmos Capital was launched in September by former UK Energy Minister Chris Skidmore. Desmos Capital supports early-stage companies and seeks to raise capital for companies and organisations committed to a sustainable future and creating new global markets by supporting and scaling up technological solutions for the future. Chris Skidmore said: “I am delighted that Meatable and Desmos have formed a partnership to help scale up and deploy future solutions that will ensure we can reduce agricultural emissions at scale, and to deliver effective and sustainable opportunities to feed growing populations across the world. Meatable’s innovation is exactly the kind of transformative product that Desmos was established to help grow and establish across new sustainable markets where there is strong demand.” Skidmore continued: “Meatable is a real solution that will become an integral part of our future ecosystem to prevent climate breakdown. I am confident that this partnership will help Meatable achieve their ambitions of becoming one of the global leaders in delivering sustainable meat solutions across the world.” Meatable’s CEO Jeff Tripician added: “We are excited to partner with Desmos as we embark on this new funding round. Its commitment to sustainability and emission reduction aligns seamlessly with Meatable’s vision for a more sustainable food system. By joining forces with a corporate finance advisor that shares our values, we're reinforcing our dedication to not only revolutionising food production but also ensuring that the journey towards growth is as responsible as our mission." "It is a validation of our business model as we look to work together with the traditional food and meat industries to tackle the great challenges of our time.” It's been a busy year for Meatable: Meatable slashes cultivated pork production time by 50% Meatable appoints Jeff Tripician as CEO, plans US expansion Meatable hosts first cell-based meat tasting in EU Meatable joins the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture Meatable awarded €7.6m from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency Meatable and Sticta receive GFI grant to create detailed model of porcine cells #Meatable #theNetherlands #DesmosCapitalPartners

World Animal Protection, part of a global organisation dedicated to ending animal exploitation, has partnered with AI software company PubTrawlr to launch The Cultivator, the first AI chatbot focused on cultivated meat. The Cultivator offers a way for people to learn about cultivated meat – what it is, how it works and its potential to change the food system. World Animal Protection said that by producing meat without slaughter, cultivated meat could help reduce the nine billion animals used in US industrial farming each year. The chatbot uses up-to-date research to offer insights into cultivated meat, with information sourced from resources and studies from industry leaders. Available on World Animal Protection's website, The Cultivator aims to increase curiosity about cultivated meat, which, according to the organisation, is expected to become widely available to consumers in the coming years. Lindsay Oliver, executive director of World Animal Protection in the US, said: "The Cultivator is a groundbreaking step toward building a kinder future for animals and our planet. By harnessing the power of AI, we're not just changing the way we eat, but the way we think about food. Creating meat without slaughter is the future of food, and it's within our reach." Jonathan P. Scaccia, president of PubTrawlr, added: "From the beginning, PubTrawlr has been about making scientific research more accessible so that it can be used to further justice worldwide. We are so humbled to be able to contribute to World Animal Protection's mission by making it easier to understand research on cultivated meat." Top image: © World Animal Protection #WorldAnimalProtection #TheCultivator #PubTrawlr #AI #cultivatedmeat

Darling Ingredients’ collagen and gelatine brand, Rousselot, and microparticle innovator IamFluidics, have announced the launch of a novel research grade dissolvable microcarrier for adherent cell culturing. The product is designed to streamline and scale-up processes for cultured meat production, advanced cell therapies and biologics manufacturing. Leonard van Bokhorst, CEO of IamFluidics, said: “Microcarriers are finding success in the expanding cell culturing market. They provide a larger surface for cell attachment than traditional flat (2D) cultures and facilitate scaling up from lab-scale to large-scale bioreactors for efficient commercial production. However, their non-solubility limits efficient cell harvesting. The new dissolvable microcarrier, developed with Rousselot, addresses this challenge.” The dissolvable microcarrier is produced using IamFluidics’ patented In-Air MicroFluidics technology. It consists of alginate-based microcarriers, coated with Rousselot’s denatured collagen. The new microcarrier offers the following advantages: Enhanced cell attachment and growth: The denatured collagen promotes cell attachment and growth, similar to natural processes in the body, and supports physiological interactions between cells and the material. The dissolvable microcarriers are suitable for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and other adherent cell lines. Rapid dissolution for efficient harvesting: The microcarriers dissolve within 15 minutes after the addition of standard cell culturing reagents, allowing for efficient cell harvesting and swift integration into existing cell-expansion systems. High-harvesting efficiency: With over 90% cell harvesting efficiency and viability, the dissolvable microcarriers dramatically reduce cell loss compared to the typical 50% seen with non-dissolvable microcarriers. Consistent and easy handling: The monodisperse and transparent microcarriers enable reproducible and easy handling, following standard cell culturing protocols. Tanja Vervust, global director for biomedical at Rousselot, commented: “We are thrilled to collaborate with IamFluidics, whose exceptional expertise and speed of innovation set it apart. By combining our high-quality denatured collagen with their advanced technology, our new dissolvable microcarrier offers the consistency and quality essential for large-scale production. This breakthrough has the potential to accelerate clinical translation, a core focus of all our biomedical solutions.” Van Bokhorst added: “The integration of our innovative IamFluidics’ technology with Rousselot’s unmatched collagen expertise represents a major step forward for the biopharmaceutical industry. This collaboration is set to transform adherent cell culture, offering high yield, cost-effective, scalable solutions for cell-based products and therapies.” The dissolvable microcarriers are available to purchase now. #Rousselot #DarlingIngredients #IamFluidics

Steakholder Foods has received a $270,000 payment from the Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD) to advance its 3D-printed plant-based seafood development. The company has now secured at total of $490,000 from the $1 million grant to advance its food technology innovations. The first installment was paid in March 2024 after the company successfully produced 3D-printed hybrid fish using its Printer HD144 and Drop Location in Space printing technologies. The second payment was triggered by the creation of plant-based 3D-printed fish and eel. Steakholder Foods' team is now working on premix blends for 3D-printed eel as part of the next phase of the project. The company has advanced in developing eel texture and flavour through model planning, material development, premix formulation and 3D printing, supporting Steakholder Foods' efforts to create sustainable seafood alternatives. Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, said: “We are thrilled to receive this second grant installment from SIIRD, which reflects our progress and commitment to advancing food technology. Our successful development of hybrid grouper fish has paved the way for new innovations, and we are excited to continue enhancing our 3D printing capabilities and premix formulations to create additional high-quality, sustainable seafood alternatives.” #SteakholderFoods #CEO

IFF has announced the launch of Texstar, an enzymatic texturizing solution aiming to ‘transform’ the texture of both dairy and plant-based fresh fermented products. The enzyme has been developed to provide the necessary viscosity in fresh fermented products, eliminating the need for added stabilisers. IFF said manufacturers will be able to create product with unique textures that feature familiar, consumer-accepted ingredients thanks to the solution. Additionally, it can enable more effective management of supply chain fluctuations and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relating to texturants. During fermentation, Texstar converts sucrose into poly- and oligosaccharides, reducing sugar content and delivering an improved texture with greater smoothness and increased shine, without traditional starch-based texturants. It can also improve the taste profile of plant-based alt-dairy products, reducing unpleasant off notes such as ‘beany’ flavours associated with plant proteins. When used as a partial milk protein replacer, Texstar can reduce the carbon footprint of fresh fermented products. According to estimations conducted by IFF’s Life Cycle Assessment team, manufacturers can achieve up to a 90% reduction in texturant-related Scope 3 GHG emissions due to significantly lower usage rates. Texstar is produced through fermentation, mitigating the risks of price fluctuations associated with crop-based texturants. Its lower dosage requirement for achieving target viscosity also allows manufacturers to store more inventory in less space. Marianne Toftdal, global product line manager for dairy enzymes at IFF, said: “As a 100% enzymatic solution, Texstar is a game-changer in the texturants market. With nearly two thirds of UK consumers scrutinising yogurt ingredients as closely as other foods, Texstar allows the creation of delicious, fresh fermented products with creamy, velvety textures that consumers love, using familiar and consumer-accepted ingredients.” #IFF #enzymes #dairy #plantbased #texturizer