'Never seen this before': New pig fat cell line could be a 'game-changer' for lab-grown meat

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a pioneering pig fat cell line, potentially revolutionising cultivated meat production, reports the news outlet Green Queen.

This technology, from the university's Roslin Institute, could pave the way for astronauts to enjoy cultivated bacon in space.

The breakthrough involves a cell line called FaTTy, which promises efficient and consistent fat tissue production without genetic modification – a crucial factor for regulatory approval in regions like the EU and New Zealand, notes Green Queen. The cell line, derived from piglet stem cells, can grow indefinitely and maintain nearly 100% efficiency in differentiating into fat cells over 200 doubling cycles.

"The fact that these cells not only grow indefinitely but also retain their ability to become fat at such high efficiency is something we have never seen before in livestock stem cells. It opens the door to new possibilities in cultivated meat and beyond," Tom Thrower, lead researcher at the Roslin Institute, told Green Queen.

Additionally, this development aligns with growing interest in space-friendly food solutions, notes the news channel. Prof F Xavier Donadeu, principal investigator, said it has potential for producing sustainable and tasty cultivated meat, which could eventually feed astronauts.