MyriaMeat achieves milestone in developing cultivated pork

GERMANY – Munich-based cultivated meat company MyriaMeat has announced that it has produced pig muscle tissue grown from pluripotent stem cells which shows natural, spontaneous contractions in a laboratory environment, marking the first occurrence of such functional tissue being generated outside a living animal.

This development indicates that real pork could be produced entirely in vitro, presenting cultivated meat as a direct alternative to conventionally farmed pork rather than merely a substitute for other meat products.

The company intends to replicate pork characteristics on a one-to-one basis, a strategy that may appeal to consumers who are reluctant to switch to plant-based options by offering a product closely matching traditional pork.

Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from research at the University of Göttingen, MyriaMeat is led by CEO Florian Hüttner and chief scientific officer Malte Tiburcy, whose approach relies on pluripotent stem cells instead of the typical animal cell cultures used in other ventures.

According to Tiburcy, the pig muscle tissue produced in their laboratory not only displays the structural properties of natural muscle but also contracts spontaneously, a first for tissue developed outside a living organism.

The ability to create functional muscle tissue in a controlled setting may ease the scaling up of cultivated pork production and could eventually lead to the creation of more complex meat products in the future.

MyriaMeat is actively seeking collaborations with investors and established meat industry stakeholders, with Hüttner noting that partnering with firms that already have sales channels, expertise, and political networks could help integrate cultured meat into the market.

Producing meat in a controlled laboratory environment reduces exposure to diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and minimizes health risks associated with conventional meat production without resorting to genetic modifications.

This lab-based production method may provide an ethical and ecological alternative to traditional farming while also offering a viable option for meeting future market demands in the broader meat industry.

Looking ahead, MyriaMeat plans to further advance its research and partner with global industry leaders to broaden the selection of lab-grown meat products for consumers.

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