Cutting-Edge Technologies of Meat Analogs: A Review

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the recent research trends of alternative protein foods being developed to replace traditional livestock foods and thus determine the current state of the technology and the potential for industrialization. The results of this study showed that the technology related to cultured meat has not yet reached industrialization. However, serum-free media development, technologies to improve culture efficiency, and technologies to improve taste and flavor are being researched. In addition, the research on improving the production efficiency of cultured meat is increasingly expanding from using muscle satellite cells obtained from animal muscles to research on cell lines or immortalized cell lines. Edible insect-derived proteins have a wide range of food applications, and researchers are actively working on utilizing their functional properties. Plant-derived protein materials are also being studied to improve the flavor and texture of plant-based meat products to make them more similar to traditional livestock foods, as well as to remove allergens. In conclusion, despite ongoing technological development, the industrialization of cultured meat is expected to take some time. There is a growing body of research on the types, functionalities, extraction, and texturizing technologies of plant-derived, mycoprotein, or insect-derived ingredients for formulating meat alternative products, and it is expected that improved products will continue to enter the market. Although animal product substitutes are not expected to significantly replace traditional livestock products, continuous improvement research will contribute to the expansion of the alternative protein food market.

Keywords: cultured meat; edible insect-based meat; meat alternatives; plant-based meat; sustainable protein sources.