The Fate of Biological Agents on Cell Culture Media and the Final Impact on Cell-Based Foods

Cell-based foods are a novel category of food which has garnered significant interest and investment in recent years. Cell-based foods are covered by legal statutes, and the FDA and USDA are among the regulators who have oversight. A science-backed approach is therefore needed to determine the safety and susceptibility of cell-based foods from foodborne pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella are selected as foodborne pathogens reasonably likely to occur in a cell-based food establishment. Growth models showing the behavior of these pathogens are made highlighting the unpredictable behavior that may occur among strains within a species. Another study finds that Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella can be destroyed during a thermal process that occurs for a cell-based salmon product made with cells obtained from Oncorhynchus kisutch salmon. Lastly, a food safety plan is constructed for a hypothetical cell-based meat establishment. These studies demonstrate that while cell-based foods may be capable of supporting the growth of foodborne pathogens, they are still within the realm of control programs and planning that is already a reality for conventional foods.