Cell line development has a rich history of enhancing high-quality food and beverages such as bread, yogurt, cheese, and beer. In today's era of technological advancements and steadfast adherence to guidelines from authoritative bodies like the World Health Organization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Union, these principles are taking center stage to expand the global food supply safely and sustainably.

Cultured Chicken Paves the Way

In a groundbreaking move in 2022, the FDA gave its seal of approval to cultured poultry products for consumption. This monumental decision not only unlocked opportunities for lab-grown chicken but also paved the way for several companies to gain USDA approval for selling cultured chicken in 2023. This pivotal announcement firmly establishes cell-cultured food as an increasingly viable solution to worldwide food crises, offering sustainability, ethical practices, and ecological friendliness.

The process of cultivating cell-cultured meat, from animal tissue extraction to the final product, ready to be consumed.

Cultured Seafood: The Next Frontier

The seafood industry faces unprecedented challenges in today's world, with overfishing driven by the demands of a growing population endangering marine ecosystems. The solution lies in cell line development techniques, which present safer and more sustainable alternatives, such as cultured seafood.

Leading the charge is BlueNalu, headquartered in San Diego, California, championing the development of wholesome, safe, and sustainable ocean-friendly products. Key to their success is their collaboration with Molecular Devices, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and expertise to produce, characterize, and scale biologics for regulatory approval of their innovative food sources.

The Journey of Cell-Cultured Meat: From Cells to Table

Creating cell-cultured meat commences with collecting a small sample of live animal cells. These cells undergo a meticulous process to ensure that only the optimal cells are isolated for growth. Factors such as increased growth, viability, and production are often considered hallmarks for identifying optimal cells. Advanced imaging technology, including Molecular Devices' state-of-the-art solutions, monitors the selected cells as they scale up, ensuring impeccable quality, safety, and stability.

From single-cell isolation to safety assessment, Molecular Devices’ instruments play a pivotal role in the cultured meat workflow.

The Importance of Monoclonality

To guarantee the production of great-tasting cultured meat, only genetically identical cells are used in the process. Not all cells collected from the animal will possess the essential attributes for robust tissue development, underscoring the significance of isolating and selecting the most favorable single-cell-derived tissues. The DispenCell Single-Cell Dispenser and CloneSelect Imager play pivotal roles in ensuring monoclonality, which is vital for meeting strict safety standards set by regulatory agencies.

Because regulations have become more stringent, researchers must perform single-cell cloning and provide evidence that a cell line is derived from a single cell – proof of clonality. The documentation of monoclonality has driven the need for more robust technologies and methodologies in bioprocessing. The traditional approach involves visualization of wells using transmitted white light on day 0 to confirm the presence of a single cell. However, this approach is challenging, as cellular debris and well artifacts can easily be mistaken for cells. Consequently, not every single cell in a well is viable enough to grow into a single colony. Cell line development evaluates cell growth into discrete colonies, then traces backward through images of the well taken over time, the colony's origins to confirm monoclonality.

This workflow highlights the capabilities of the CloneSelect Imager System, which quickly images any SBS footprint-compatible plate in 90 seconds in white light mode to verify monoclonality based on objective image analysis. Coupled with the DispenCell Single-Cell Dispenser for single-cell dispensing, it improves the monoclonality assurance workflow with both an increase in clonal outgrowth and impedance-based verification of monoclonality followed by image-based verification of monoclonality, reducing timelines in monoclonality assurance.

Efficiency Through Automation

Automation proves indispensable in upscaling cell line development for cultured food production. By eradicating human errors and batch-to-batch variability, automation guarantees consistent, top-tier results—akin to methodologies utilized by pharmaceutical giants for the development of secure therapeutics. This comprehensive approach, encompassing data tracking from initial cultivation to the final product, not only assures food safety but also ensures compliance with stringent regulatory benchmarks.

The Path Ahead: A Sustainable and Healthier Tomorrow

Cell line development technologies are transforming the food industry, ushering in unprecedented possibilities for sustainable, eco-conscious alternatives. With companies like BlueNalu at the forefront of this revolution, embracing proven cell-line development technologies and processes promises a future where cultured seafood graces our tables, fostering marine biodiversity and promoting human well-being alike.

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