Three-dimensional scaffolds, materials, and fabrication for cultured meat applications: A scoping review and future direction

Cultured meat is a scientific product that can solve problems that future protein foods will confront (food security, solving environmental, diseases, etc.). Although much research has been conducted to solve these problems, challenges remain to be solved, such as cultured meat composition and scale-up. This paper reviews the current research on scaffolds, one solution to mass culturing, and discusses future directions. Scaffolds can solve problems (being slow and small in volume) of proliferation and the differentiation of cells that can occur in a single layer and have the advantage of being able to produce many cells at once. Many scaffold types, such as hydrogel, fiber scaffolds, and micro-carriers, have been created, and manufacturing methods have also been developed to allow cells to better attach and grow on these. Scaffolds are manufactured using methods such as three-dimensional printing, electrospinning and spraying, molding, and decellularization by mixing various materials. Collagen extracted from animal skin or tendons is most used, but vegetable proteins such as soybean, alginate, wheat, and corn, as well as edible microorganisms such as mold, are also used to manufacture scaffolds. For consumption, the manufacture of cultured meat should not only focus on awareness and mass production but should also complement the sensory characteristics of meat, such as texture and flavor. Therefore, the production of scaffolds should include components similar to those of meat, and more research will be needed to develop cultured meat with a scaffold similar to that of meat.