Edible and animal-product-free microcarriers for engineered meat

Abstract

Edible microcarriers, including microcarrier beads, microspheres and microsponges, appropriate for use in a bioreactor to culture cells that may be used to form a comestible engineered meat product. For example, the edible microcarriers described herein may include porous microcarriers that may be used to grow cells (e.g., smooth muscle cells) and may be included with the cells in the final engineered meat product, without requiring modification or removal of the cells from the microcarriers. In a particular example, the edible microcarriers may be formed of cross-linked pectin, such as pectin-thiopropionylamide (PTP), and RGD-containing polypeptide, such as thiolated cardosin A. Methods of forming edible microcarriers, methods of using the edible microcarriers to make engineered meat, and engineered meat including the edible microcarriers are also described herein.