EDIBLE SCAFFOLDS FOR CULTURED MEAT PRODUCTION
An edible scaffold for cultured meat production. The scaffold comprises a polysaccharide and a plant-based protein formed of fibers, microcarriers, or other structural elements. The structural elements can comprise a diameter between about 1 μm to about 1000 μm. The scaffold can be formed via extrusion or an electrohydrodynamic technique. The scaffold further undergoes a surface modification treatment configured to facilitate attachment by cells. The scaffold can be used to culture myoblasts and other cells for the production of a meat product. The scaffold is incorporated into and ultimately a component of the resulting meat product.
1 . An edible scaffold for cultured meat production, the scaffold comprising:
a structural element comprising a polysaccharide and a plant-based protein, wherein the structural element comprise a diameter between about 1 μm to about 1000 μm;
wherein the structural element has been formed via extrusion or an electrohydrodynamic technique from a solution comprising the polysaccharide and the plant-based protein;
wherein the structural element has undergone a surface modification treatment configured to facilitate attachment by cells, the surface modification treatment comprises at least one of a plant-derived polyphenolic compound, a cationic transition metal, or a plasma treatment;
wherein the scaffold is formed in a shape configured to produce a meat product having a dimension from about 100 μm to about 500 mm when the cells are cultured thereon.
2 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the structural element comprises a continuous fiber network.
3 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the structural element comprises microcarriers.
4 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide is configured to form a hydrogel.
5 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises alginate.
6 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the electrohydrodynamic technique comprises at least one of electrospraying or electrospinning.
7 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide and the plant-based protein are present in a ratio from about 100:1 to about 1:20 by dry weight.
8 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the structural element is lyophilized.
9 . (canceled)
10 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the plant-based protein comprises at least one of a pea-based protein, soy-based protein, oat-based protein, mung bean-based protein, maize-based protein, chia-based protein, hemp protein, prolamin, pumpkin seed-based protein, rice-based protein, sunflower seed-based protein, or sacha inchi-based protein.
11 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a food additive, a flavoring agent, a color additive, a preservative, a vitamin, a mineral, a nutritional additive or enhancer, a synthetic protein, a peptide, a ligand, or a cell culture media growth factor.
12 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the structural element is configured to undergo syneresis in response to a trigger.
13 . The edible scaffold of claim 12 , wherein the trigger comprises a calcium chelator.
14 . (canceled)
15 . The edible scaffold of claim 1 , wherein the surface modification treatment comprises iron citrate.
16 . A method of producing an edible scaffold for cultured meat production, the method comprising:
depositing a solution comprising a polysaccharide and a plant-based protein into a cross-linking bath to form the edible scaffold comprising a structural element, the structural element comprising a polysaccharide and a plant-based protein, wherein the structural element comprise a diameter between about 1 μm to about 1000 μm;
applying a surface modification treatment to the scaffold, the surface modification treatment configured to facilitate attachment by cells, the surface modification treatment comprises at least one of a plant-derived polyphenolic compound, a cationic transition metal, or a plasma treatment;
wherein the scaffold is formed in a shape configured to produce a meat product having a dimension from about 100 μm to about 500 mm when the cells are cultured thereon.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein depositing the solution comprises extruding the solution.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein depositing the solution comprises at least one of electrospraying or electrospinning the solution.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the structural element comprises a continuous fiber network.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the structural element comprises microcarriers.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polysaccharide is configured to form a hydrogel.
22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises alginate.
23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the polysaccharide and the plant-based protein are present in a ratio from about 100:1 to about 1:20 by dry weight.
24 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising lyophilizing the edible scaffold.
25 . (canceled)
26 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the plant-based protein comprises at least one of a pea-based protein, soy-based protein, oat-based protein, mung bean-based protein, maize-based protein, chia-based protein, hemp protein, prolamin, pumpkin seed-based protein, rice-based protein, sunflower seed-based protein, or sacha inchi-based protein.
27 . The method of claim 16 , the edible scaffold further comprises at least one of a food additive, a flavoring agent, a color additive, a preservative, a vitamin, a mineral, a nutritional additive or enhancer, a synthetic protein, a peptide, a ligand, or a cell culture media growth factor.
28 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the structural element is configured to undergo syneresis in response to a trigger.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the trigger comprises a calcium chelator.
30 . (canceled)
31 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the surface modification treatment comprises iron citrate.