Evaluation of plant-based composite materials as 3D printed scaffolds for cell growth and proliferation in cultivated meat applications

This study aimed to evaluate plant-based 3D scaffolds for supporting the cultivation of animal cells for cultivated meat. The physical and chemical characteristics of pectin and composite gels (pectin + soy protein isolate [SPI] or pea protein isolate [PPI]) were analyzed. Rheological property analysis revealed that all materials exhibited viscoelastic solid behavior, shear thinning, and micro-structure recovery behavior, essential properties for 3D printing. Texture profile analysis (TPA) of composite gels demonstrated that some of the textural properties of these composite materials were in the range of mechanical properties of meat products including pork, poultry, and fish. The cytocompatibility and proliferative potential of these scaffold gels were evaluated using C2C12 (myoblast cells) as a model cell line, indicating their potential to support the growth of the animal cell without apparent toxicity. In examining 3D printability, incorporating protein into the pectin gel resulted in enhanced printability, characterized by reduced surface roughness and thinner thickness. Based on these analyses, a 3D printed scaffold was generated by using pectin, 30% SPI, and 10% PPI. Remarkably, the scaffolds with pectin and 10% PPI supported the growth of the cells, comparable to the cells grown on a tissue culture plate (positive control) demonstrating its potential to support animal cell growth. These findings highlight the promising potential of the formulated materials for applications within the cultivated meat industry.