Bioprocess Engineering for Cultivated Meat

Cultivated meat (CM) has emerged as a promising solution to the environmental, ethical, and food security concerns associated with conventional meat production. However, realising its full potential depends on developing robust, scalable, and cost-effective bioprocessing strategies. This chapter explores the entire CM bioprocessing pipeline, from upstream challenges such as the development of robust cell lines, scaling up cell cultures, and evaluating different operating modes like batch, fed-batch, and perfusion to downstream processes such as biomass harvesting, purification, and product structuring. Key considerations include ensuring sterility, monitoring critical process parameters, and supporting effective cell proliferation and differentiation. Economically, the high cost of media and capital expenditures remain a major barrier to scale. Strategies such as media recycling, bulk ingredient sourcing, and in-house production are being explored to reduce costs. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital twins offer new tools for optimising operations, though adoption is still in early stages. As the industry progresses toward commercialisation, continued innovation in bioprocess engineering, guided by techno-economic modelling, will be crucial to achieving scalable and sustainable meat alternatives.