Japanese conglomerate Ajinomoto has developed a plant-derived alternative to transferrin, a costly component in the culture media used for cultivated meat production. This new technology utilizes hinokitiol, a natural compound found in Cypress trees, to replace transferrin. Transferrin is a glycoprotein crucial for cell growth and often represents a significant portion of cultivated meat manufacturing expenses. Hinokitiol effectively binds iron and delivers it into cells, maintaining high proliferation rates while offering chemical stability. This development aims to substantially reduce culture media costs, thereby making cultivated meat more accessible to consumers. Ajinomoto intends to introduce this solution to the market within the next several years.
Source: Ajinomoto’s New Tech Replaces One of Cultivated Meat’s Most Expensive Parts