REVIEWPaywalled
Vanajothi R, Yogeswari C, Jayaprakashvel M et al.
Advances in protein chemistry and structural biology · 154 · 14 November 2026
The chapter examines how enzyme kinetics and engineering could improve proteins made from plants, microbes, algae, precision fermentation and animal cell culture, a key issue for product quality and scale-up. It reviews inhibition, catalysis and models for mixed protein substrates, alongside uses of transglutaminases, carbohydrases and lipases. It also assesses rational design, immobilisation, directed evolution, computational methods and links between kinetic models and bioreactors. The authors conclude that combining these tools can improve food properties and production efficiency, though the abstract reports no new experimental evidence.
DOI 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2026.08.008Read the paper ↗
RESEARCH ARTICLEPaywalled
Montero D, Mensah DD, Fernández-Montero Á et al.
Fish & shellfish immunology · 179 · 14 November 2026
Paecilomyces variotii mycoprotein replaced up to two-thirds of fishmeal without harming seabream larval growth or survival, while improving immune responses, which supports moderate use in weaning feed. Researchers fed 28-day-old larvae diets containing 0%, 5%, 10% or 15% mycoprotein for 18 days, then measured growth, survival, body composition, tissue structure and gene activity before a Vibrio anguillarum challenge. The 15% diet, which replaced all fishmeal, reduced weight and survival after infection. The evidence favours 5% to 10% inclusion, not full replacement.
DOI 10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111733Read the paper ↗
RESEARCH ARTICLEOpen access
Iaria L, Flipse N, Bijl E et al.
Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 14 · 14 November 2026
Bovine κ-casein was secreted from the yeast Pichia pastoris, but degradation, incomplete release and extensive glycosylation limited yields, which could raise processing costs. Researchers compared strains carrying multiple gene copies, deleted yapsin 1 alone or with protease A, tested bioreactor cultures, examined periplasmic protein and tried cytoplasmic expression. More copies increased titres, yet the knockouts did not stop degradation. Cytoplasmic production neither raised output nor clearly preserved protein integrity. The host needs further engineering before κ-casein production can become economically viable.
DOI 10.3389/fbioe.2026.1946745Read the paper ↗
PREPRINTPaywalled
Zhao L, Zhou G, Ding S et al.
Research Square · 14 November 2026
Porcine muscle cells adapted without genetic modification to serum-free suspension culture, offering a potential route to larger-scale cultivated pork biomass production. Researchers tracked the line for 300 days and used single-cell transcriptomics to map changes in cell identity. The cells exceeded 255 population doublings, moved towards stromal and fat-like states, and formed fat only after induction. They retained DNA damage recovery and showed no detectable tumour formation. Semi-continuous culture improved medium efficiency, while a 2,000-litre run produced 97.18 kg of wet biomass. Scale looks feasible, but muscle differentiation was lost.
DOI 10.21203/rs.3.rs-11402436/v1Read the paper ↗
RESEARCH ARTICLEPaywalled
Baldeweg TH, Nellinger S, Leikeim A et al.
Biology of the cell · 118 · 14 November 2026
Bovine satellite cells were isolated through a simpler process intended to cut the labour and cost of preparing cells for cultivated meat and muscle research. Researchers electrically minced muscle, then used magnetic sorting against integrin alpha 7. Pax7 staining and differentiation tests assessed the cells. The authors report 49.39 ± 14.70 thousand cells per gram, with 98 ± 1.34% Pax7 positivity and a 94.39 ± 3.58% differentiation index. The method produces enriched, functional early-passage cultures with less specialised equipment.
DOI 10.1111/boc.70079Read the paper ↗
REVIEWPaywalled
Lee DJ, Yoon J, Kim AJ et al.
Current opinion in biotechnology · 101 · 14 November 2026
Mycoprotein could help meet rising protein demand with fewer resources while providing protein, fibre and a balanced amino acid mix. The review examines recent work on fungal strain selection, gene editing and fermentation methods. It also assesses evidence on blood lipids, glucose control, muscle protein production and gut microbes, alongside the use of food industry by-products. The authors find broad potential, but the abstract provides no quantitative comparisons, leaving the scale of the health and environmental gains unclear.
DOI 10.1016/j.copbio.2026.103571Read the paper ↗
REVIEWPaywalled
Sun J, Ma D, Meng Q et al.
Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety · 25 · 14 November 2026
Vegetable waste conversion could become more consistent when engineered food-grade microbes are paired with AI, which matters because variable feedstocks, resistant plant structures and fermentation toxins hinder industrial use. The review examines modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli, AI-guided enzyme design, metabolic models, process control and digital twins. It reports better conversion, toxin tolerance and batch consistency, with outputs including single-cell protein, flavour additives and packaging materials. The approach has merit, but the abstract provides no quantitative evidence of industrial performance.
DOI 10.1111/1541-4337.70611Read the paper ↗
REVIEWPaywalled
Ben Akacha B, Michalak M, Kačániová M et al.
Food science & nutrition · 14 · 14 November 2026
A review assesses plant proteins for dairy alternatives, linking nutritional quality, processing and regulation to their use in specific products. It compares legumes, cereals, pseudocereals, oilseeds and nuts against milk proteins using DIAAS, digestibility and antinutrient content. It also examines extraction methods, naming rules and shifts towards precision fermentation and mycoprotein. The authors find that the balance of 7S and 11S globulins predicts emulsifying, foaming and gelling better than source or purity. Yet inconsistent assays and extraction damage cloud comparisons, so formulation choices need application-specific evidence.
DOI 10.1002/fsn3.72403Read the paper ↗
REVIEWPaywalled
Bischof K, Kripp AM, Petropoulou M et al.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 23 · 14 November 2026
Researchers compared acute muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise and single doses of different proteins, which matters when selecting post-training nutrition. A systematic review covered 51 trials in healthy adults using muscle biopsies and tracer methods, followed by standard and dose-response network meta-analyses. Native whey, pea, whole egg, mycoprotein and whey ranked highest, with some sources showing predicted peak responses at 18-25 g. Only whey had a statistically significant effect, leaving comparisons involving sparsely studied proteins uncertain.
DOI 10.1080/15502783.2026.2740224Read the paper ↗
RESEARCH ARTICLEPaywalled
Petra Neveceralova, Hana Raschmanova, Peter Gorilak et al.
Physiological Research · 75 · 14 November 2026
Cultivated meat may reduce some health and environmental harms linked to livestock, but unresolved risks make safety testing and regulation essential. The authors review evidence on consumption safety and compare cultivated products with conventional meat. They report potential reductions in zoonotic disease and antibiotic resistance, alongside concerns about genetic modification and diseases associated with affluent diets. They also cite lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduced land and water use. Safe adoption depends on rigorous assessment and clear regulatory rules.
DOI 10.33549/physiolres.935712Read the paper ↗
RESEARCH ARTICLEPaywalled
Tomassi A, Falegnami A, Tomassi C et al.
Nutrition and health · 14 November 2026
Industrial-scale cultivated meat is assessed as a more controlled alternative to intensive livestock, with consequences for food safety, ethics and fairness. The commentary compares livestock’s environmental footprint, animal harm, microbial hazards, dangerous work and uneven community exposure with cell culture using enclosed systems and batch tracking. It identifies possible gains in hygiene, lower reliance on slaughter and inclusion of people who reject conventional meat. Yet energy use, growth media, scaling, concentrated ownership, cost and public confidence remain unresolved, so tighter control alone cannot ensure wholesome or just meat.
DOI 10.1177/02601060261497457Read the paper ↗
REVIEWPaywalled
Rostamabadi MM, Topuz F, Rostamabadi H et al.
Advances in colloid and interface science · 357 · 14 November 2026
Soy protein amyloid fibrils could support new food and material systems, making control over their formation relevant to cell agriculture. The review assesses recent research on assembly mechanisms, processing, structure and function. Acid and heat drive soy proteins, including 7S beta-conglycinin and 11S glycinin fractions, into beta-sheet fibrils with varied shapes and properties. It covers uses in cultivated meat, meat analogues, emulsions, foams, gels, delivery systems, films and water treatment. Practical value now rests on better structural control and scalable production.
DOI 10.1016/j.cis.2026.104022Read the paper ↗