The Science of Alt Protein: Manufacturing cultured fish fillet

3D bioprinting has the potential to produce structured cultivated meat products of complex biomimetic designs shaping, in a balancing manner, muscle and fat-rich regions at a scale of tenths of millimetre. On the other hand, electrospun fibers can be produced, with diameters at the nanoscale, able to mimic collagen geometries typical of fish myoseptum. Electroconductive fibers have been previously used to support electrical stimulation during maturation of several tissues, including muscle. Different approaches for manufacturing 3D multi-material fish fillet exploring bioprinting and electrospun scaffolds will be presented. Novel formulations of muscle and fat edible bioinks, compatible with fish myoblasts and adipocytes, were developed using a macroalgae’s polysaccharide and natural conductive conjugated molecules. Zein proteins were used to produce polymeric fibers. Different cross-linking strategies will be presented. Edible conductive molecules can be introduced as dopants into the muscle bioinks formulations and electrospun fibers to increase electroconductivity and support electrical stimulation during muscle maturation. Microalgae containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, as omega-3, can be introduced into the fat bioinks. All bioinks and fibers were characterized for their biocompatibility as well as structural and mechanic properties. Several 3D designs of fish products were conceptualized and prototyped produced to demonstrate the wide range potential of the approaches considered. Finally, strategies for fish cell culture will be discussed.