Japanese scientists have successfully grown the world’s largest chunk of lab-grown chicken using a new bioreactor system that mimics a circulatory system.
The chicken piece, about 7 centimeters wide and 2 centimeters thick, marks a breakthrough in the production of lifelike, whole-cut lab meat.
The team, led by researchers from the University of Tokyo, developed a tool that uses 50 hollow fibers — similar to human veins — to deliver nutrients and oxygen through the artificial tissue.
This innovative method allowed the cells to grow consistently and survive across larger distances, creating a structure much closer to natural chicken muscle.
While lab-grown meat has been around for over a decade, most previous efforts yielded only tiny, clumped-together cells.
This new method, detailed in the journal Trends in Biotechnology, shows potential for producing more realistic cuts of meat and scaling cultured meat production.
Professor Shoji Takeuchi, co-author of the study, emphasized the significance of using hollow fibers previously found in dialysis machines and water filters.
Although this lab-grown chicken was not made from food-grade materials and has not been tasted, the technology could eventually be used in food production, regenerative medicine, and biohybrid robotics.
Despite the scientific progress, consumer acceptance remains uncertain. Cultured meat is only legally sold in Singapore, the U.S., and Israel, with mixed public attitudes and bans in some U.S. states like Florida and Alabama. Scientists say more work is needed before lab-grown meat hits the mainstream plate.
