Cultured meat platform developed through the structuring of edible microcarrier-derived microtissues with oleogel-based fat substitute

This study presents a novel cultured meat platform integrating edible chitosan–collagen microcarriers and oleogel-based fat substitutes to produce realistic, structured meat analogues. Bovine mesenchymal stem cells (bMSCs) were expanded on microcarriers in scalable bioreactors to form cellularized microtissues, which were then aggregated or homogenized and combined with plant-protein oleogels to form marbled and burger-like cultured meat prototypes. The constructs achieved comparable moisture retention, texture, and appearance to beef patties while maintaining lower saturated fat and improved nutritional profiles. Mechanical and textural testing demonstrated tunable stiffness, with aggregate formation increasing Young’s modulus ~40-fold compared to microtissues. The work establishes a scalable path for cell-to-meat engineering through biofabrication and soft matter structuring.