Date of Completion

Winter 12-15-2025

Thesis Advisor(s)

Mingyu Qiao

Honors Major

Nutritional Sciences

Disciplines

Food Science

Abstract

Global demand for animal protein is increasing rapidly, underscoring the need for sustainable meat production. Cultured meat is a promising alternative to traditional meat production techniques, but it requires optimization before it can be implemented on a large scale. Scaffolds are an important component for making cultured meat, as they provide structural support for cell attachment and mimic the texture of meat. Scaffolds need to be biocompatible, mechanically supportive, and biochemically active to promote proper cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. This project investigated brown seaweed extract (SWE) hydrogels as a scaffold for cultivated meat applications and compared their mechanical and cell growth properties with low- and medium-viscosity sodium alginate (LVSA and MVSA) hydrogels. Mechanical testing revealed that SWE hydrogels had a higher yield point (859.58 ± 89.60 kPa) and Young’s modulus (25.69 ± 4.13 kPa) than LVSA and were near the optimal range for elasticity to promote myogenic differentiation. SEM images analysis demonstrated that LVSA hydrogels had an average pore size of 99.4 ± 14.4 μm, which is within the ideal range for gas and nutrient exchange. MVSA hydrogels exhibited inadequate pore sizes, with an average size of 0.162 ± 0.005 μm. SWE hydrogel pore morphology has not been characterized yet. Swelling degree analysis revealed that SWE and MVSA hydrogels exceeded the optimal swelling ratio for tissue integrity. Resazurin assays were conducted to quantify the hydrogels’ cytotoxicity; however, results were inconclusive as cells exhibited greater attachment to plastic culture labware. Overall, seaweed-based scaffolds demonstrate potential as a sustainable material for cultured meat technology but require more research efforts to optimize cell adhesion and proliferation.

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