University of Tokyo team finds key to cell-cultivated meat flavor in amino acids

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have taken a major step toward solving one of the biggest challenges in cell-cultivated meat production: how to make it taste like the real thing.

In a new study published in Food Chemistry, scientists from the university’s Institute of Industrial Science report that amino acids, particularly in their free form, hold the key to replicating the savory flavors of traditional beef. By manipulating the levels of specific amino acids during the cell cultivation process, the team has shown it’s possible to significantly influence the flavor profile of cell-cultivated meat.

“We know that free amino acids strongly influence the flavor of traditional meat, and their levels generally increase during the aging process,” said lead author Mai Furuhashi. “However, we noticed that the role of free amino acids in the flavor perception of cell-cultivated meat has received little research attention.”

To address this gap, the team grew bovine muscle cells in a nutrient-rich bath, guiding them through cell differentiation to mimic the fibrous texture of real meat. Some samples were then aged, while others were not, to observe how the flavor compounds evolved over time.

Using liquid chromatography, the researchers measured the levels of free amino acids in both aged and non-aged cell-cultivated cells. The findings were striking: during the differentiation stage, amino acid levels dropped, but during aging, they rose sharply. In fact, aged cell-cultivated meat contained nearly twice as many free amino acids as conventional beef.

Senior author Shoji Takeuchi noted that glutamic acid, known for its umami taste, was especially abundant in the cell-cultivated samples. Aspartic acid, which also contributes to umami, was the next most prevalent. In contrast, traditional beef had higher levels of alanine, a sweeter-tasting amino acid.

“The surprise was that the levels of free amino acids in cell-cultivated muscle cells were actually double those in conventional beef,” said Takeuchi.

The study also revealed that the composition of the culture medium – the liquid used to grow the muscle cells – had a direct effect on the amino acid profile of the final product. By increasing the concentration of a specific amino acid in the medium, the researchers were able to raise its presence in the cell-cultivated meat.

“This is exciting because it means we should be able to control the flavor profile of cell-cultivated meat,” said Takeuchi.

The implications of the research are significant. As demand for meat continues to grow worldwide, concerns about the environmental impact and ethics of conventional livestock farming have intensified. Cell-cultivated meat offers a more sustainable alternative, but consumer acceptance hinges in large part on whether it can match the sensory experience of eating traditional meat.

Flavor, of course, is central to that experience.

While other taste-related compounds in meat still require investigation, this study establishes a promising foundation. By fine-tuning the levels of key amino acids during the growth process, producers may eventually be able to offer cell-cultivated meat that doesn’t just look like the real thing – but tastes like it too.