Bioreactors for Cultivated Meat Production

The interest in cultivated meat production technology is continually and exponentially growing, with the objective of providing new solutions for protein production and consumption globally. These processes involve the cultivation of animal cells, the peculiarities, and specificities of which demand controlled conditions to maintain viability and enable efficient growth. Cell cultivation is carried out in various types of bioreactors, spanning from traditional to newly developed models, each with its own characteristics and possibilities. Stirred tank reactors (mechanically agitated) and airlift/bubble column bioreactors (pneumatically agitated) are the most commonly employed, with adaptations and/or modifications to facilitate satisfactory cultured meat production. Microcarriers/scaffolds are imperative to aid cell adhesion and multiplication. Other bioreactor models, such as hollow fibers and packed bed bioreactors, have also been studied. Single-use technology is gaining traction due to its advantages such as easier cleaning and sterilization and shorter operation times, but it comes with the associated environmental impact of generated plastic waste. In addition to describing various bioreactor models, this chapter also presents some information about instrumentation and control. The goal is to present the main reported bioreactor models currently used for cultivated meat production, highlighting their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and technological barriers to overcome.