Israel-based deep-tech food company Steakholder Foods has submitted a provisional patent application for its “Immortal Bovine Cell Line and Uses Thereof”.
This development marks a significant step in making commercial-scale cell-based meat production a reality, meeting the growing need for alt-protein sources.
The company’s patent application enhances the growth capacity of bovine cells, leading them to immortalisation and increased biomass production at a “relatively short division time”.
This is set to pave the way for scale, repeatability and growth – key factors needed for the large-scale commercialisation of cell-based meat technologies. With its immortal cell lines, Steakholder Foods aims to provide a stable, renewable source for generating different tissues, which will reduce the ecological impact of animal agriculture whilst improving nutritional options.
Transforming the cell-based meat landscape – utilising the self-replication and functional differentiation abilities of stem cells, the patent presents immortal cell lines that are able to generate a broad array of tissues, such as muscle and fat. Steakholder Foods says this positions the company at the forefront of revolutionising the food industry.
Dan Kozlovski, CTO of Steakholder Foods, said: "In 100 generations of replications, a single cell in an immortal cell line could theoretically produce more than 3,250 trillion tons of meat. With around 350 million tons of meat consumed annually, immortal cell lines are paving the way to ensuring slaughter-free meat supply for the foreseeable future. This isn't merely a technological milestone; it's a paradigm shift in how we envision food production for the future."
This is the latest in a number of developments for Steakholder Foods. In June, the company announced it had completed the upgrade of its industrial-scale 3D bio-printer, advancing towards mass production of the company's bio-printed products. Last month it detailed the allowance of a new patent for advanced print heads for 3D bioprinting and last week the company launched its proprietary Light CAD Editor 3D modelling software for client use, providing an easy-to-use platform for 3D model customisation.
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Phoebe Fraser
13 September 2023