Brewing is based on a very simple living creature –brewer's yeast. Microorganisms multiply on the mashed grains, converting sugar into both alcohol and carbon dioxide along the way. But after this, yeast will not be of much use. pints are being poured. However, recent experiments suggest that there may be a way to recycle huge amounts of fermentation waste into something particularly sustainable: lab-grown meat.
According to a study recently published in Dietary boundaries Brewer's yeast's second life may come from its bacterial cellulose, according to researchers at University College London. Like plant cellulose, this organic substance forms a protective layer around yeast cells and gives them a strong shape. Researchers are increasingly interested in ways to harness this stiffness for a variety of purposes, including 3D printing bandages and plant foods. But while lab-grown meat is more common and accessible than ever, the industry still faces challenges when it comes to availability and properly mimicking the real thing.
“Although it is relatively easy to grow animal cells for mass food production, you need to be able to grow them on something that is cheap, edible, and preferably has a structure that resembles real meat,” study co-author and UCL medical researcher Richard Day. explained in the statement.
To test the viability of yeast waste in its alternative role, Day and his colleagues took a batch of old brewing bacteria and used them for cultivation. Komagataeibacter xylinus– a bacterium with particularly strong cellulose. They then placed the new cellulose in a “chewing machine” that repeatedly squeezed it to evaluate its physical properties. The team found that bacterial cellulose grown from brewer's yeast not only performed as well as traditional methods, but also supported animal cells known as fibroblasts. This strongly suggests that yeast-based cellulose can be used in the production of cultured meat.
“One of the biggest obstacles in cultured meat is replicating the taste and texture of real meat,” said study co-author and UCL Faculty of Medicine researcher Christian Harrison. “Our results show that bacterial cellulose grown on brewing waste not only supports cell growth, but also more closely mimics the mechanical properties of meat than other scaffolds.”
There's still a lot of work to be done, but early analysis suggests the day may soon come when yeast can help make both beer and beer. And accompanying hamburger.
