Bioreactor parameters and systems for cultured meat production

Cultured meat (CM) is an emerging technology involving the use of animal cells to produce meat in vitro . It has the potential to replace or complement traditional meat production, offering a sustainable and ethical alternative to farmed animals. CM could provide sufficient meat to satisfy the growing demand for animal-based protein while addressing the negative impact of traditional livestock agriculture such as disease transmission, antibiotic misuse, poor animal welfare, and greenhouse gas emissions. But efficient industrial bioreactor systems, low-cost media, and high producing suitable cells are needed for CM technology to compete with or supplement conventional meat production. Bioreactors provide a controlled in vitro environment for the supply of nutrients and stimulus to the cells, which is necessary for cell expansion and differentiation on a large scale. In this review, we discuss the state of the art in bioreactor systems used for CM production, highlighting their characteristics and applications, advantages and disadvantages, the effect of key process parameters, and scale-up strategies. We also consider key performance indicators for the bioreactor-based large-scale production of CM.