Researchers in Switzerland Develop Cultivated Beef That is “Much Closer to Real Muscle”

Researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed three-dimensional muscle tissue composed of thick fibers using precursor cells called bovine myoblasts. This tissue is closer to real muscle at the molecular and functional levels, containing the same active genes and proteins, and contracting similarly to natural muscle. The new approach involves a cocktail of three molecules in the cell culture medium that play a key role in cell differentiation, but further optimization is needed to make it more affordable and safe for consumption.

While the current production process has only yielded a few grammes of muscle, research is ongoing to scale up production. ETH professor Ori Bar-Nur is considering launching a startup to further develop the technology. However, these innovative cultivated beef products will need to undergo a complex authorization procedure before they can reach the market for consumption, according to lead author Adhideb Ghosh.