Hydrogel Films for Cultivated Meat Production
Researchers have developed edible composite hydrogel films for use as scaffolds in cultivated meat production.
The films are made with curcumin, an antioxidant and coloring agent found in turmeric, which acts as a nutraceutical, flavoring, coloring, and preservative agent.
- Potato starch
- κ-carrageenan
- Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with GRAS status for use in food applications in the US
Glycerol and succinic acid are added as plasticizers and cross-linking agents during the gelation process.
The hydrogel films offer a promising and sustainable scaffold for bovine muscle satellite cells.
Optical transparency can be enhanced by increasing the starch content of the films, though this also reduces their mechanical strength.
Author's summary: Researchers develop hydrogel films for cultivated meat production.