Researchers at Osaka University (Japan) have created beef from scratch using 3D bioprinting technology and stem cells.
They made a piece of the much sought after Wagyu beef that was made up like the original of muscle, blood vessels and fat "put together to look like a classic steak," the scientists explained in a recent statement.
They welcomed this resemblance and recalled that previous attempts had failed to replicate the complex structure of a piece of meat.
Wagyu beef is also famous for the texture of its fat and its distribution in marbled fillets.
Stem cells and 3D printing
The Japanese produced just a small piece of 5 by 10 millimeters with these characteristics.
Their piece of artificial meat consists of 72 fibers comprising 42 muscles, 28 fatty tissues and two capillary blood vessels, said the study on the subject published Tuesday, August 24 in
Nature
.
To achieve their ends, the specialists relied on two types of bovine stem cells chosen for their capacity to give rise to multiple other cells in the laboratory.
Individual fibers were printed and then assembled in 3D with the histological specificities of Wagyu beef as a model.
An alternative to breeding?
The authors of the study welcomed the potential applications of their work.
Ultimately, they believe it is possible to manufacture artificial meat with characteristics that precisely meet the tastes of each customer.
Research by Japanese academics could also provide an alternative to raising cattle for slaughter.
The activity is indeed singled out for the "ethical, economic, environmental and health" questions that it raises, the scientists recalled in their study.
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