Engineering high-quality cultured beef through curcumin-driven metabolic reprogramming in a high-protein scaffold

Cultured meat, produced by culturing animal cells in vitro, is emerging as a sustainable alternative to conventional meat. Despite significant progress in production scale-up, inefficient myogenic differentiation remains a key obstacle to achieving the quality required for consumer acceptance. Here, we elucidate the critical role of metabolic reprogramming and mitochondrial remodeling in myogenesis, revealing that day 1 of differentiation is a key transition window. We then identify curcumin as a potent natural compound that enhances mitochondrial remodeling and metabolic reprogramming, thereby promoting myotube formation and maturation. Concurrently, we develop an edible, high-protein scaffold based on yeast protein and integrate it with curcumin-mediated myogenic induction. Finally, we successfully produce cultured beef featuring abundant and orderly aligned myotubes, with nutritional and sensory qualities closely matching those of conventional beef. Our work offers new insights into the metabolic regulation of effective myogenesis and presents a viable strategy for high-quality cultured meat production.