According to a Study, They’re Going to Use Aloe Vera to Produce Meat in a Lab

You have probably heard of aloe vera because it is useful for making redness disappear from the skin, for swelling or for dermatitis. Generally this plant, in our country, is marketed mainly in the cosmetics and food sectors for its various benefits. According to a recent research, however, the product will not be known only in these specific fields, but also in that relating to laboratory-produced meat and today I will explain how.

Scaffolding for Cultured Meat

The research was carried out thanks to the work of an Israeli university and published by the journal Nature which suggests the use of this plant as a scaffold for meat produced in the laboratory. However, we must understand what scaffold means: in the production of cultured meat, animal muscle cells need a three-dimensional structure on which to grow and differentiate. This structure is called scaffold.

According to this study, there are some parameters to consider the scaffolding that will be used to create meat in the laboratory as "ideal". The first parameter is biocompatibility, meaning it must not cause adverse reactions in cells; biodegradability, meaning it must degrade over time. It must also be edible and therefore safe and suitable for human consumption and economically sustainable. The research has found in the natural extracellular matrix of aloe vera, several biocompatible properties, identifying it as suitable for creating a perfect scaffolding for cultured meat.

The Benefits of Aloe Vera

Despite being blocked in many countries, research on lab-grown meat is advancing day by day. The study revealed that the porous structure of aloe vera is ideal for building a good scaffold for cultured meat. Thanks to this, the plant is able to absorb water and retain moisture, thus promoting the development of meat tissue and supporting cell growth. From this structure, the famous aloe gel will be obtained on which to build the ideal scaffold. In addition to all this, aloe vera is a renewable resource, which makes it an interesting option for the production of cultured meat on a large scale. Its natural origin, biocompatibility and three-dimensional structure make it an interesting alternative to synthetic materials.

What could be the limits? The study is certainly still in its infancy but it will be useful to evaluate the quality of the meat produced. Once the work is concluded, both the nutritional and organoleptic properties will have to be examined. An investigation that will open new research on the use of increasingly new natural and sustainable materials for the creation of meat in laboratories.