Researchers develop a way to engineer fat for lab-grown meat at scale and avoid genetic modifications

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, in the UK, have developed a source of fat cells from pigs in the lab in a bid to boost the burgeoning cultivated meat industry. The outcome helps meet the need for fat as a key component in delivering the flavor and texture that consumers expect from meat without involving animals.

In a research paper, scientists show that the novel cell line efficiently produced fat tissue with “remarkable consistency,” and could help the cell-based meat sector overcome some roadblocks holding it back.

Engineering fat for lab-grown meat at scale has also proven challenging, especially when trying to avoid genetic modifications or animal-derived additives.

Generating realistic, sustainable animal fat is considered a significant hurdle, but this discovery is a step forward in a global market estimated to grow between US$5 billion and US$30 billion by 2030. 

Avoiding animal-derived additives

The cells (known as FaTTy) are formed from early-stage stem cells which develop into fat. They can grow indefinitely in the lab without losing the ability to reliably produce fat cells. Most other animal stem cells quickly lose this capability, making large-scale use impractical, notes the research.

The fat produced closely resembled native pig fat in its composition, with slightly higher levels of healthier monounsaturated fats.

The research team grew stem cells derived from five piglets. They discovered that cells from one of the piglets were able to reproduce virtually indefinitely without the need for gene editing.

Reliable cell growth

The fat cells have the potential to be a “game-changer” by helping to produce cultivated meat that feels and tastes like traditional meat, while being considered environmentally and ethically sustainable in the long-term.

Dr. Tom Thrower, lead researcher at the Roslin Institute, says, “We didn’t simply develop a tool, we made a very special discovery. The fact that these cells not only grow indefinitely but also retain their ability to become fat at such high efficiency is something we have never seen before in livestock stem cells. It opens the door to new possibilities in cultivated meat and beyond.” 

Dr. Susan Bodie, head of business development for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at Edinburgh Innovations, the university’s commercialization service, says there is already considerable industry interest in the research from companies looking to work with the researchers on proprietary technology. 

“Tools like this may help introduce fat cells to improve taste and realism of meat grown in labs in both an ethical and reliable way,” she says.