Testimonial
Rethink Waste-team Cult Factor aims to make cultured meat more affordable
Wageningen University & Research's Rethink Waste Challenge is a competition in which international teams of students develop an idea that contributes to a circular economy. More than 190 students from 72 universities in 33 countries are participating. From the University Fund, donors contribute some 10,000 euros to this competition, giving young talent a chance. The students work on applying scientific knowledge in practice - an important aim of WUR. Cult Factor is one of the eighteen remaining participants. Five international students want to use their team to increase the availability and affordability of cultured meat.
I want to contribute to food security, because I see what effects climate change has on countries like my home country Indonesia.
Why cultured meat?
The Italian Nike Schiavo is one of them. She did her master Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology at WUR and got interested in cultivated meat. “The consumption of meat has an impact on the environment. I want to contribute what I can to limit climate change and also to prevent animal exploitation. The way we eat has such an impact.”
She sees that not many people are willing to give up meat. “That’s why I find cultivated meat an important addition. In a mix with plant based alternatives, we could go, as a society, to a changed diet.” Bernard Prasetyo, another group-member from Indonesia and also a WUR-student (master Food Biotechnology), is not always very happy with plant based meat-products. “It lacks a umani-taste, and a certain kind of juiciness. That’s why people are not willing to totally replace meat. That’s where cultivated meat comes in.”
Alternative growth factor
They met during another challenge, Cultivate Tomorrow, and got talking about the challenges in the cultivated meat industry. Three other people, Paul Steinhardt (University of Hohenheim), Adrian Hirt (University of Turin) and Tin Rudnički (Aarhus University) joined. “We soon came to the conclusion that cultivated meat is so expensive because of the high costs of growth factors”, tells Nike. Growth factors are the ingredients in the medium on which cells of meat can start growing and keep growing.
“Often the growth factors are made in the pharmaceutical industry. They are of a very high quality. We thought the standard for food production could be lower, and maybe be taken from food waste. Also some of the growth factors are animal based, from cows. We got thinking about using waste from soy used for plant based products.”
Genetically modified microorganisms
But based on conversations with industry coaches, they switched to the plan of using genetically modified microorganisms fed by, for example, glucose, which is readily available. The growth factor that comes out of this is easier to concentrate and purify. "Our own growth factor and this technology of purification we want to sell to companies," Nike says. The modification also makes it easier to recycle the growth factor. Bernard: "This is a very important component in our project, because although growth factors are incredibly expensive, they are thrown away after use. If we can reuse them, the cost becomes lower."
Because the group is unanimous: cultured meat cannot be upscaled, and therefore affordable, if better, standardized growth factors are not forthcoming. Nike: "We want the industry to grow."
‘Working in a group gave me confidence’
If they win the challenge, the group wants to keep working together. “Paul and Adrian have a lot of entrepreneur experience”, tells Bernard. “They know how to develop a business model. Tin is great in organizing the workload, and has multimedia skills. This is such a great combination, and that’s why we think we can continue.” That’s also why Nike, she tells, had the confidence to apply to this challenge. “WUR is great in promoting teamwork.”
Further research
The winning team gets 6.000 euro to develop the business proposition further. Nike: “We want to do our research in a university setting, and really go into a lab. WUR is a good place for this kind of thing, because there are a lot of companies around to develop together.” Companies already advised the group, which is an important part of the Rethink Waste Challenge. “WUR provides the coaches. This was really helpful. Because in science you know all about technologies, but you need to know if it will practically work.”
Feed the world
“One of the subjects of WUR is to 'feed the world'”, says Bernard. “I think cultivated meat is one of the ways. I really want to contribute to this, because I see the effects climate change has in the southern world, like in my homeland Indonesia. And I think in the western world, where there’s the biggest carbon footprint, there is a responsibility to solve climate change problems.”
Cult Factor won third place in the finals of the ReThink Waste Challenge, winning €1,500.