A local biotechnology firm, Immobazyme, announced it will produce a key molecule called fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). This protein is essential for growing lab-grown meat sustainably, as it signals mammalian cells to multiply. Historically, FGF-2 has been expensive to produce. Immobazyme, in collaboration with the CSIR and supported by government funding, successfully scaled up a cost-effective production process using bioreactors. They genetically modified a bacterial strain to efficiently produce FGF-2, which is then purified into a powder. This achievement allows Immobazyme to offer a commercially viable product, making them competitive in the global cultivated meat industry.
Source: South Africa now makes critical molecule for lab-grown meat | CSIR