December 28, 2024

Osaka University and the University of Tokyo are Addressing the Challenge of Creating Genuine Cultured Meat

Osaka University and the University of Tokyo are developing technology to create cultured meat from animal cells that resemble real meat more closely. Unlike commercially available cultured meat, produced by blending large amounts of plant-derived proteins, this variety is formed solely from cells that have developed into muscle and fat. Discontent with conventional products, which have a taste and texture significantly different from authentic meat, has resulted in declining investments in this field. A new technology anticipated to be implemented around 2030 could change this scenario and pave the way for the widespread adoption of cultured meat.

Cultured meat is produced by extracting stem cells from cows and chickens, which grow into muscle and fat. These cells are then cultured, solidified, and molded. The idea was put forward by Winston Churchill, who served as the British Prime Minister, in the 1930s. It has the potential to save resources such as water, feed, and land.

Manufacturing and sales have already been approved in the United States and Singapore, with companies offering cultured meat created by combining animal cells with plant-based proteins in restaurants and supermarkets. The shortage of muscle cells, which production cannot fully meet, along with high costs, is being mitigated by using soybeans and mung beans, paving the way for commercialization.

However, regarding a product that the US startup Eat Just began selling in May 2024, the cultured chicken meat content is approximately 3%. Cultured beef developed by Israel's Aleph Farms is also reported to contain a noteworthy amount of plant protein. These products are designed to replicate the taste and texture of real meat. Yet, when tasted, they resembled soybeans and lacked sufficient chewiness, disappointing consumers and investors, who remarked, "It's not like real meat after all."

According to the U.S. non-profit Good Food Institute, global investment in cultured meat and cultured fish has decreased by 84% from a peak of $1.4 billion (approximately 220 billion yen) in 2021 to $226 million (approximately 35 billion yen) in 2023. As challenges grow, Japanese universities and companies are attempting a comeback by creating authentic cultured meat. Professor Noriaki Matsuzaki of Osaka University, along with Shimadzu Corporation and others, has developed a technology that does not rely on plant ingredients.

Can cultured meat satisfy the increasing global appetite for meat? Success depends on advancing technology that focuses on flavor and texture.