Cultivated meat is real meat grown from animal cells in a controlled lab environment. Pairing these cells with plant proteins can enhance taste and texture while reducing reliance on animal‑derived materials.
In this study, Team Omics4CMeat introduces a 3D‑printing strategy for creating mechanically stable, additive‑free soy and pea protein scaffolds—structures that support cell growth and help shape whole‑cut cultivated meat.
Keywords
- 3D-printing
- Cultivated meat
- Plant protein
- Protein scaffolds
Research Highlights
Plant‑protein scaffolds are challenging to print into fine, stable fibres without using additives such as polysaccharides
A coagulation-assisted printing approach enables soy and pea proteins to form fine fibres with muscle-scale dimensions
Dual crosslinking improves the colour and structural stability of the printed scaffolds
The resulting polysaccharide-free scaffolds support muscle cell growth and show potential for cultivated meat applications
Editorial Reflections
In this study, the team shows how soy and pea proteins can be 3D-printed into fine scaffolds that overcome the usual challenges in forming fine, stable plant-protein fibres without additives. Their coagulation-assisted printing approach enables the formation of fine fibres with muscle-scale dimensions, while dual crosslinking improves the colour and structural stability of the resulting scaffolds. The scaffolds can also support muscle-cell growth, demonstrating their potential for future cultivated meat applications.
Team Omics4CMeat at McMaster University aims to complement traditional meat production by developing technologies to support cell-cultured meat as an additional protein source to help reduce GHG emissions. Contributing authors from the team are (in alphabetical order):
Pegah Saraf – PhD student, Biomedical Engineering Department, McMaster University
P. Ravi Selvaganapathy – PI, Omics4CMeat & Director, Canadian Consortium for Cultivated Meat
Food for Thought: Read the full article here. How familiar or unfamiliar does 3D-printed cultivated meat feel to you? If a product like this were available in years in the coming years, would you be open to trying it as a consumer? What might encourage you to give it a chance?
References
Saraf, P., & Selvaganapathy, P. R. (2027). Coagulation-assisted extrusion 3D-printing of soy and pea protein isolate scaffolds for cultivated meat applications. Food Hydrocolloids, 183, 113193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.113193
