Quality and Risk Control in Cultivated Meat Production

Quality control and risk assessment are indispensable elements of the manufacturing process of cultivated meat, playing a pivotal role in ensuring reproducibility and mitigating variability stemming from the heterogeneity among cell donors and all the components involved in the entire process. The selection and characterization of cells for culture must prioritize safety, demanding meticulous consideration of donor selection, biopsy techniques, and transportation procedures. As cultivated meat is an innovative dietary product, global regulations and comprehensible supervisory frameworks are crucial for consistent quality and consumer trust. Qualifying and validating cell manufacturing processes are crucial for safety, including microbiological controls at different stages and chromosomal stability, genotoxicity, and tumorigenic potential evaluation. Environmental monitoring is essential to address risks such as hazardous materials, micro−/nanoplastics, heavy metals, toxins, and pathogens. Managing foreign objects and allergens introduced through cross-contamination is also important during upstream and downstream processes. Moreover, the safety and quality of the cultivated meat product, with a focus on key attributes such as pH, water-holding capacity, texture, flavour, and colour, are intricately shaped by decisions made at various stages of the production process. This encompasses the selection of diverse cell types, the application of various techniques for cell maturation, the utilization of scaffolds, and the incorporation of different ingredients.