Meatable to Highlight Dramatic Improvements in Cell Feed Preparation at World Expo in Osaka
Dutch cultivated meat producer Meatable has announced that it will be present at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, which has the global theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. At the event, Meatable hopes to connect with global companies, policymakers, and food pioneers to explore new opportunities and collaborations. On June 5, Meatable will join the Alternative Proteins mission at the Dutch Pavilion, whose theme is “Common Ground”. The …
Researchers Develop Hollow Fiber Bioreactor to Improve Cultivated Meat Texture and Scale
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a bioreactor that mimics a circulatory system, improving the production of cultivated meat by ensuring even nutrient and oxygen delivery to tissues. This new approach, published in Trends in Biotechnology, allows the creation of over 10 grams of chicken muscle tissue, addressing key challenges in scaling up cultivated meat production. Hollow fibers for nutrient delivery “We’re using semipermeable hollow fibers, which mimic …
Japan’s Integriculture Develops Products Made From Cultivated Duck Liver
Japanese cultivated meat company Integriculture has announced the successful development of prototype products made from cultivated duck liver. The products were recently showcased at a sensory evaluation held at the company’s research base, with the aim of evaluating their market potential. Seven prototypes were presented; of these, four were aimed at restaurants and the other three were processed foods. The restaurant prototypes included a citrus dessert with cultivated duck and …
Hoxton Farms and Sumitomo Target Asia’s Health Crisis with Cultivated Pork Fat
Hoxton Farms and Sumitomo Corporation have formed a strategic partnership to bring Hoxton Fat, a cultivated pork fat, to the Asia-Pacific market. This collaboration will focus on addressing public health and food security challenges in the region through innovative food ingredients. The partnership with Sumitomo Corporation will leverage the latter’s expertise in agri-food and supply chain management to facilitate the introduction of Hoxton Fat to food manufacturers across Asia. The …
Tokyo’s Kinish Raises $800,000 USD to Scale Rice-Based Casein Production
Tokyo-based food tech startup Kinish Inc. has secured $800,000 USD (¥120 million) in a seed funding round to advance its rice-based dairy alternative technology. The funding was led by Genesia Ventures, Lifetime Ventures, Full Commit Partners, and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. Kinish is working to develop a rice-based source of casein, the key protein found in milk, using plant molecular agriculture. The company’s goal is to create plant-based dairy alternatives that …
25% of Japanese Consumers Would Try Cultivated Eel Irrespective of Price
Research conducted by cultivated eel producer Forsea Foods has found surprising levels of enthusiasm towards eel alternatives in Japan, a country that reportedly consumes almost half the world’s freshwater eel supply. 35% of respondents expressed familiarity with cultivated seafood and a willingness to try cultivated eel, with a quarter saying they would purchase it irrespective of price. The remainder set limits on what they were willing to spend. Over a …
Japanese Scientists Develop Low-Cost Medium to Grow Muscle Cells Without Animal Serum
Japanese scientists have developed a new co-culturing system using rat cells and cyanobacteria to create a low-cost alternative to animal serum for cell growth. Fetal bovine serum has contamination risks and waste accumulation, and is very costly. In addition, it does not align with the promise of producing meat without killing animals. Rat liver cells can also secrete the proteins (growth factors) needed for muscle cell growth, providing a serum alternative …
JACA Unveils Blueprint for Cultivated Meat Safety & Regulation in Japan, Calls for Expert Feedback
The Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA) has released an extensive report, in English, analyzing international trends in the safety and regulatory assessment of cultivated meat. JACA, which works on policy-making to bring cell-based foods to the Japanese market, has plans to propose safety assessment criteria for Japanese regulatory authorities to continue building the country’s Novel Foods framework. With this report, the group is taking proactive steps to align Japan’s …
Spiber Raises Over JPY10 Billion for Mass Production of Fermented Proteins for Materials
Spiber Inc., a Japanese biotech “brewing” sustainable materials for the fashion, automotive, and personal care industry, announces it has raised over JPY10 billion (around $65M) from equity financing. Spiber has raised a total funding of $489 million over 9 rounds. The funding, which included additional investments from existing shareholders, will allow the company to accelerate mass production of its innovative Brewed Protein materials and facilitate global sales. Founded in 2007, …
New Report Finds 42% of Japanese Consumers Would Try Cultivated Meat, While 58% Are Not Familiar with Cell-Based Foods
APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA) has released a new report revealing that 42% of Japanese consumers are open to trying cultivated meat or seafood products, “as long as they have been proven safe.” The report Prospect of Cultivated Meat & Seafood in Japan was commissioned by APAC-SCA and analyzed by Akira Igata, Project Lecturer at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo and Director of the …