Campden BRI secures a share of a £15.6m investment fund, allocated by Innovate UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), to further the development of a hollow-fibre bioreactor system prototype demonstrator. This prototype will be optimized at Campden BRI’s facilities, and the organization will collaborate with Cellular Agriculture to test production samples and conduct various assessments including food safety, quality, regulatory, economic, and sustainability evaluations. The expertise acquired during this project will be utilized to create e-learning courses and supporting services.
A hollow-fibre bioreactor is a 3-dimensional cell culturing system that utilizes small, semi-permeable capillary membranes arranged in a parallel array within a tubular polycarbonate shell. This innovative technology allows for enhanced cell growth within a small space, reducing the use of medium and growth factors, resulting in a more efficient process for laboratory staff and technicians.
Cellular Agriculture CEO, Illtud Dunsford, emphasized that cultivated meat production presents an opportunity to complement traditional farming methods, offering a more sustainable approach by utilizing fewer resources.
Craig Leadley, technology fellow at Campden BRI, expressed his enthusiasm by stating that the project puts the organization at the forefront of innovative food research, supporting Cellular Agriculture in transitioning their advanced cultivated meat production system into the food industry.
R&D tax relief specialists GovGrant predict that cultured meat will account for 35% of global meat consumption by 2040, with conventional meat and vegan meat alternatives making up the remaining 65%. However, the challenge of cost-effective scaling remains the primary obstacle for the cell-based meat industry.
The chief technical officer of Cellular Agriculture, Marianne Ellis, highlighted the potential of hollow-fibre bioreactor systems in facilitating the commercial viability of cultivated meat production, offering increased cell density, cost-efficiency, and a more compact design compared to other bioreactor systems.
Furthermore, production costs for cultivated meat could significantly decrease thanks to new cells created at the Tufts University Center of Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA). This development marks a significant advancement in the industry’s efforts to achieve sustainable and cost-effective production methods.