Animal-derived components in cultivated meat research and their alternatives

Cultivated meat production involves the ex vivo growth of animal cells without slaughter. However, classical muscle tissue engineering depends on animal-derived components, raising ethical, economic, and sustainability concerns. This review analyzes the roles, challenges, and alternatives of these components, examining available data from published protocols, scientific literature, and commercial manuals. Synthetic and plant-based materials, as non-animal-derived substitutes, are explored for media components, enzymes, antibodies, and scaffolds to minimize reliance on animal sources. Although growth factors and synthetic materials with structural or biochemical functions remain costly, advances such as precision fermentation and cell-free protein synthesis offer promising routes for cost reduction and alignment with animal welfare goals. Innovative culture media formulations and input alternatives are crucial to overcoming ethical and environmental challenges. Current strategies like media input reuse and growth factor immobilization on scaffolds further optimize the cultivated meat production chain. Current and future sustainable technological advancements will pave the way for a viable and ethical future in cell-based food systems.