Apparatuses and systems for preparing a meat product
Inventors
Leung, Matthew • Warner, Michelle • VANDERPOL, Ryan Edward • HSIU, Thomas Pei-Ja • CARSWELL, Kathleen
Assignees
Accenture LLP • Upside Foods Inc
Publication Number
US-12256761-B2
Publication Date
2025-03-25
Expiration Date
2040-11-20
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Abstract
The apparatuses described herein relate to preparation of a meat product. Apparatuses, systems comprising the apparatuses, and methods of making and use the systems and apparatuses are described herein. These are useful for controlling one or more of growth on and separation of a meat product from an enclosed substrate. The apparatuses and systems are configured to receive fluid and grow the meat product and/or separate the meat product from the substrate in a scalable manner.
Core Innovation
The invention provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for preparing a meat product by growing and separating cultured cells on enclosed substrates within a bioreactor. These apparatuses comprise an enclosure defining a cavity, one or more substrates arranged within the cavity to support cell growth, and additional components such as fluid diffusers, separators, and collectors to enhance cell adhesion, growth, and product recovery. Notably, the bioreactor is configured to receive and direct fluid flow to the substrates in a controlled manner, facilitating both efficient cell proliferation and separation of the resultant meat product, often as continuous sheets.
The problem addressed by the invention centers on the limitations of conventional cell culture apparatuses, which are typically designed for recovering cell-secreted products in media rather than the cells themselves and are not suitable for the practical, scalable production of continuous cell sheets necessary for comestible meat products. Traditional systems often lack the capacity for sustained, large-area, adherent cell growth and efficient, intact tissue separation, thereby restricting scalability and efficiency in meat production applications.
To solve these issues, the described apparatuses employ configurations such as spiral or planar substrates, fluid diffusers to deliver uniform and laminar flows, and separators utilizing targeted fluidic shear to detach the meat product without damaging the tissue. The system may include a controller to regulate fluid dynamics for optimal cell growth and tissue release, and many components are designed to be easily disassembled for cleaning and reuse. Methods outlined in the patent include growing comestible tissue by perfusing cells with growth media, then separating the intact meat sheet via controlled fluid injection at specific angles and velocities.
Claims Coverage
There are two independent claims focusing on bioreactor systems for growing cell-based meat products, each incorporating key inventive features related to bioreactor structure, substrate configuration, and fluid management.
Bioreactor with inlet and outlet at different elevations containing cells from animal species grown for consumption
A system comprising: - A bioreactor having an interior cavity, an inlet, and an outlet. - The inlet is positioned at a first elevation, while the outlet is at a lower second elevation, facilitating gravity-aided fluid flow through the device. - Cells suitable for consumption and originating from livestock, poultry, game, or aquatic animal species are grown within the bioreactor's interior cavity. This feature allows for growing the cell-based meat product within a precisely engineered environment that is optimized for both fluid flow and cell viability.
Bioreactor with planar substrates supporting dual-sided meat growth
A system comprising: - A bioreactor with an interior cavity, inlet at a first elevation, outlet at a lower second elevation, and one or more planar substrates. - The planar substrates are configured to support growth of the cell-based meat product on both a first side and a second opposite side. This inventive feature enables maximized surface area for cell adherence and meat growth and supports growth on both sides of each substrate for enhanced yield.
The inventive features collectively define systems optimized for growing comestible cell-based meat by employing elevation-based fluid flow through a bioreactor containing animal cells, and the use of planar substrates to support dual-sided meat product growth. These structures and configurations address the needs for scalable, efficient, and intact tissue cultivation and separation.
Stated Advantages
Allows for cost-effective and scalable growth of cell sheets to generate commercially viable meat products.
Facilitates consistent cell growth across large substrate surfaces by providing a substantially uniform and laminar fluid flow.
Enables the controlled and intact separation of grown meat products as continuous tissue sheets, supporting further processing in predetermined dimensions.
Reduces waste and improves production efficiency by permitting apparatus disassembly, sterilization, and reuse.
Supports high-density meat production through optimized substrate positioning, including growth on both sides of substrates.
Documented Applications
Preparation and scalable production of cell-based (cultivated) meat products suitable for human consumption, including recovery of intact tissue sheets for further processing.
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