Food entrepreneurship! Tec inaugurates cultured meat startup

Tecnológico de Monterrey and the SayaBio investment fund have founded Forma Foods to produce meat by culturing animal muscle cells.

This new science and technology-based startup is developing next-generation protein by rethinking meat processing to take it to the next level.

During the Forma Foods presentation at the Tec’s Monterrey campus, it was highlighted that cultured meat benefits sustainable meat consumption since it does not come directly from animals.

“We’ll be the connecting point between consumers, environment, and science. Consumers will be heard, the environment will be respected, and science will be applied,” said Li Lu Lam Aguilar, Tec graduate and CEO of Forma Foods, at the event.

Also participating in the project is Dr. Grissel Trujillo de Santiago, an expert in bioprinting and biomaterials and a research professor at the Tec School of Engineering and Sciences.

“I’m sure that the success of this partnership will be extraordinary. It will inspire many and help catalyze the formation of more transformative technology-based companies,” Trujillo said.

Also part of this new project are Dr. Mario Moisés Álvarez, an expert in bioreaction and process scaling, and Dr. María Salud, an expert in meat science from the Autonomous University of Mexico.

“We’ll be the connecting point between consumers, environment, and science.” - Li Lu Lam Aguilar

Students, graduates, professors, and researchers from Tec de Monterrey are working on the project team.

“One of the most effective and efficient ways to transform the country technologically and economically is through technology-based entrepreneurship. Forma Foods is one example.

In the end, we all want a sustainable future, and working on the concept of cultured meat is a way to get there,” said Álvarez.

The cultured meat process

The Forma Foods cultured meat process begins with a biopsy from cattle. This biopsy is treated with stimuli that simulate normal conditions within the animal.

Some proteins and tissues are then removed to extract muscle cells. Once isolated, they are multiplied to obtain biomass and form fibers, which join together to make a complete muscle fiber.

“If we analyze the muscle, we can learn that it’s made of fascicles. Within those fascicles, there are many muscle fibers.

“If we go deeper into muscle fibers, there are a large number of cells that are intertwined, elongated, and joined together to form those fibers. To form muscle, we go back to the beginning and start with cells,” explained Li Lu Lam.

Currently, Forma Foods has started with a 100% plant prototype from which they can gradually migrate while increasing the number of cells until they reach a cultivated prototype.

The project has three stages: the plant prototype, the hybrid prototype, and the 100% muscle prototype.

“The success of this partnership will be extraordinary. It’ll help catalyze the formation of more technology-based companies.” - Griselle Trujillo

Science for society 

Through the Technology Transfer department, Tec de Monterrey aims to support projects such as Forma Foods, which fit the slogan “Research in action.”

Arturo Santos, director of the department, said that Forma Foods is one example of a project that should be promoted so that it can have an impact on society.

“We’re convinced that one of the Tec’s contributions to society in both Mexico and the world is to ensure that all the research conducted in our laboratories and classrooms is implemented in society.

“This is to solve those problems that afflict humanity, and food is one of them,” Santos pointed out.

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