Coagulation-assisted extrusion 3D-printing of soy and pea protein isolate scaffolds for cultivated meat applications
27 September 2026 · Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications · 3D Printing in Biomedical Research · Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies
Soy and pea protein isolates formed polysaccharide-free scaffolds that supported muscle-cell growth, addressing a structural constraint in whole-cut cultivated meat. Researchers extruded protein inks into a coagulation bath, then crosslinked the fibres with 0.1 mM genipin and dehydrothermal treatment. The process made 50–100 μm fibres, networks with 25–35% porosity, and compressive moduli of 3–15 kPa. Mouse myoblasts and bovine satellite cells attached, spread, proliferated, infiltrated and differentiated. The results justify further testing of these edible scaffolds for whole-cut products.