Japanese scientists grow chicken with texture of real meat in lab

By Stephen Beech

Nugget-sized chunks of chicken with the texture of real meat have been grown in a lab for the first time.

Japanese scientists created the meat alternative with the help of state-of-the-art robot technology.

They say the breakthrough will have a major impact not only on future food production but also on regenerative medicine and drug testing.

The researchers believe their system could help create artificial tissues and even whole organs in the future.

The team explained that a bioreactor that mimics a circulatory system can deliver nutrients and oxygen to artificial tissue, enabling the production of over 10 grams of chicken muscle for cultured meat applications.

Study senior author Professor Shoji Takeuchi, of The University of Tokyo, said: “Our study presents a scalable, top-down strategy for producing whole-cut cultured meat using a perfusable hollow fibre bioreactor.

“This system enables cell distribution, alignment, contractility, and improved food-related properties.

"It offers a practical alternative to vascular-based methods and may impact not only food production but also regenerative medicine, drug testing, and biohybrid robotics.”

He explained that a "significant" obstacle to the reconstruction of large-scale tissues is the creation of well-distributed vascular networks because diffusion alone can't sustain cells across considerable distances.

Previously, the thickness of tissues without an integrated circulatory system has been limited to less than one millimeter, making it difficult to produce centimeter-scale or larger tissues with densely packed cells.

Takeuchi said: “We're using semipermeable hollow fibers, which mimic blood vessels in their ability to deliver nutrients to the tissues.

“These fibers are already commonly used in household water filters and dialysis machines for patients with kidney disease.

"It's exciting to discover that these tiny fibers can also effectively help create artificial tissues and, possibly, whole organs in the future.”

The authors showed the biofabrication of centimeter-scale chicken skeletal muscle tissues using a Hollow Fibre Bioreactor (HFB) made up of an array of 50 hollow fibers.

They also implemented a robot-assisted assembly system for the fabrication of a 1,125-fibre HFB and produced whole-cut chicken meat weighing more than 10 grams using chicken fibroblast cells, which make up connective tissue.

Takeuchi said: “Cultured meat offers a sustainable, ethical alternative to conventional meat.

“However, replicating the texture and taste of whole-cut meat remains difficult.

"Our technology enables the production of structured meat with improved texture and flavor, potentially accelerating its commercial viability.

"Beyond food, this platform may also impact regenerative medicine and soft robotics.”

He says extra challenges for future research include further improving the mechanical properties and structural integrity of the tissue to better mimic the characteristics of natural muscle tissue.

Takeuchi added: “We overcame the challenge of achieving perfusion across thick tissues by arranging hollow fibers with microscale precision.

“Remaining challenges include improving oxygen delivery in larger tissues, automating fiber removal, and transitioning to food-safe materials.

"Solutions may include use of artificial oxygen carriers to mimic red blood cells, bundle-removal mechanisms that efficiently remove fibers in a single operation and edible or recyclable hollow fibers.”

The Japanese team, whose work was published in the journal Trends in Biotechnology, have submitted patent applications.