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The Japanese researchers used a special device called a bioreactor to grow the cultured chicken made entirely of cells.
The Japanese researchers used a special device called a bioreactor to grow the cultured chicken made entirely of cells. (Image for representative purpose | YouTube screengrab / N’Oven Foods.
Scientists in Japan have created what may be the world’s biggest chunk of cultured chicken. It is a nugget-sized piece measuring about 7cm wide and 2cm thick, according to a paper published in the journal Trends in Biotechnology. Grown entirely from cells in a lab, it weighs around 11 grams and is far bigger than earlier lab-grown samples which were often less than a millimetre thick.
The work done by researchers at the University of Tokyo is a major breakthrough for those looking for more ethical and sustainable food options.
How Was The Chicken Nugget Grown In Lab?
Making large pieces of meat in a lab has always been a tough task. Scientists have been able to grow small bits of tissue for years but those were less than 1 millimeter thick or about 0.04 inches. These pieces didn’t feel or look like real meat because they were just small clumps of cells stuck together.
The Japanese researchers used a special device called a bioreactor to grow the cultured chicken made entirely of cells. This bioreactor worked like an artificial circulatory system. It had hollow fibres which are tiny tubes that acted like veins. These fibres delivered oxygen and nutrients to the chicken cells that helped them stay alive and grow in the right direction. The muscle cells were suspended in a gel and the fibres ran through it.
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At first, the scientists started small, using 50 fibres to grow simple muscle tissue. Later, they increased the number to 1,125 fibres and produced over 10 grams of whole-cut chicken. The final piece was about 2 cm long and 1 cm thick.
Professor Shoji Takeuchi at the University of Tokyo said that hollow fibres had earlier been used in things like dialysis machines. “It’s exciting to discover that these tiny fibers can also effectively help create artificial tissues,” he said as quoted by The Guardian.
At the moment, the hollow fibres used in the artificial circulatory system have to be removed by hand after the meat has grown. But the scientists are now working on using edible cellulose fibres instead which could stay in the meat and help adjust its texture.
The final piece was not made with food-grade materials, so no one has tasted it yet. Early chemical tests suggest the nugget has “a mild, savoury flavour and chewiness comparable to real chicken meat.”
What Makes This Different From Previous Lab Meat Efforts?
Previously, scientists could only grow small bits that are mostly tiny clumps of cells or minced meat stuck together with edible scaffolds. These were easier to grow but didn’t resemble chicken breasts or thighs.
For them, a big hurdle has been getting oxygen and nutrients into the thick parts of the tissue. The Japanese team tackled this by using hollow fibres to create internal circulation. This lets nutrients reach deeper areas that help the cells grow properly and stay alive.
“The key challenge in growing thick tissue is that cells in the centre can struggle to receive enough oxygen and nutrients, which may lead to cell death. Our system helped address this by providing internal perfusion, allowing us to support the growth of thicker, more consistent tissue,” Takeuchi explained.
Why Does This Discovery Matter?
Lab-grown meat could offer a new way to produce food without raising or killing animals. This can help reduce the environmental damage caused by farming, lower greenhouse gas emissions and ease pressure on land and water resources.
It may also appeal to people concerned about animal welfare. And since the meat is grown in controlled conditions, it could be designed to include extra nutrients like zinc or selenium. As Professor Derek Stewart from the James Hutton Institute told The Guardian, “This looks like a transformative step, it’s a really elegant solution. They’ve created something of a size and scale that people are hardwired to eat: it’s the chicken nugget model.”
He also thought about adding masala sauce through the tubes to make a chicken tikka masala nugget. “I’d give it a go,” he said.
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Right now, only a few countries like Singapore, US and Israel allow the sale of cultured meat. In the US, only two companies are approved to sell it while states like Florida and Alabama have banned it.
Future Plans
Takeuchi mentioned that future versions of the bioreactor may require artificial blood to carry more oxygen to the cells, which would allow larger pieces of meat to grow. He believes that with sufficient funding, products using this method could be available in 5 to 10 years.
“At first, it will likely be more expensive than conventional chicken, mainly due to material and production costs. However, we are actively developing food-grade, scalable systems, and if successful, we expect the cost to decrease substantially over time,” he said.
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Researchers are talking to several companies about developing the technology further.
