Steakholder Foods initiates cultured pork development using porcine cell line

25 Aug 2022 --- Steakholder Foods, formerly known as MeaTech 3D, has begun the development of cultured pork products from a new line of iPS porcine cells. 

The new stem cell line was derived from sampled cells reprogrammed back into an embryonic-like pluripotent state. This enables one cell bank to become an unlimited and highly scalable source for developing any type of muscle or fat cells for cultured meat production.

The company is developing a slaughter-free solution for producing a variety of beef, chicken, pork and seafood products – raw materials and whole cuts – as an alternative to industrialized farming and fishing. 

With its membership in the UN Global Compact, Steakholder Foods is committed to acting in support of issues embodied in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which include strengthening food security, decreasing carbon footprint and conserving water and land resources.

“We are adding porcine to our species portfolio. Pork has a tremendous market potential because it is widely recognized as the most popular meat in the world,” says Arik Kaufman, Steakholder Foods’ CEO.

Producing a “like for like” to conventional pork
Steakholder Foods has partnered with an iPS cell line provider to shorten its development timeline for structured pork products, such as bacon, pork chops and ham. 

The company’s venture into cultured pork adds to its diverse product development activities, which include cultured beef, chicken, fish and seafood.Through a unique process of cell cultivation and 3D bioprinting, the company expects to achieve the taste, texture and mouthfeel of conventional pork, it states. 

Steakholder Foods’ proprietary 3D-bioprinting technology can produce structured meat with any muscle-to-fat ratio at an industrial production rate and with pinpoint precision based on any desired shape, width or design.

The company will also produce ground pork products and pork biomass as an ingredient for hybrid food products, such as meatballs.

The company’s venture into cultured pork adds to its diverse product development activities, which include cultured beef, chicken, fish and seafood. 

In July, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Umami Meats for the joint development of 3D-printed cultured structured seafood.

This collaboration opens a door for both companies into the Asian market and Singapore, which is currently the only country authorized to produce and distribute cultured meat. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green