Food-grade utilization of bovine slaughterhouse by-products for developing cost-effective media supplements in cultivated meat applications

Bovine slaughterhouse by-products are nutrient-dense materials with significant potential as food-grade supplements for serum-reduced media in cultivated meat production. This study reviews key biological processes underlying skeletal muscle development and regeneration, focusing on satellite cell activation and the myogenic regulatory factors essential for in vitro muscle culture. The current limitations of fetal bovine serum, including ethical concerns, high cost, and batch-to-batch variability, are reviewed alongside emerging serum-free strategies based on recombinant proteins, food-derived ingredients, and adult livestock serum. A compositional evaluation of bovine blood and organ by-products indicated high levels of bioactive proteins, essential amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals relevant to muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. Plasma and serum were showed to differ in albumin- and globulin-associated functions, antioxidant activity, and cytokine-related profiles. Organs such as liver, heart, spleen, and tongue exhibited high levels of essential amino acids and functional lipids, while specific tissues contained elevated concentrations of zinc, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Overall, bovine slaughterhouse by-products represent promising food-compatible ingredients for the development of serum-free or serum-reduced culture media. Their valorization may reduce culture costs, support sustainable resource use, and facilitate scalable cultivated meat production.