Engineering high-lipid wagyu cultivated fat with nutritional enhancement and organoleptic fidelity

Cultivated meat holds promise as a sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional meat, but reproducing the rich sensory and lipid profile of premium beef such as Wagyu remains a major hurdle. Fat tissue, a critical and distinct component governing its organoleptic identity, requires dedicated engineering strategies that differ fundamentally from those applied to muscle reconstruction. Here, we systematically optimize edible biomaterials, fatty acid delivery systems, and culture conditions to engineer high-fat cultivated bovine tissues with authentic sensory properties. Among various scaffolds, 1% alginate emerged as optimal, providing mechanical softness compatible with adipogenic differentiation and mimicking the rheological properties of native fat. Oleic acid complexed to whey proteins, significantly enhanced lipid accumulation and monounsaturated fatty acid content, reaching up to 80.6% of total fatty acids, while supporting robust adipogenesis under reduced serum conditions. Engineered fat tissues displayed soft, spreadable textures and organoleptic characteristics consistent with high-quality beef fat. Fatty acid profiling revealed a bovine-like omega-6 signature, alongside detectable omega-3 subtypes including alpha-linolenic acid and trace EPA and DHA, highlighting the potential to deliver bioactive lipids rarely found in terrestrial animal products. These findings establish a food-grade, tunable platform, advancing the realism, nutritional value, and health potential of next-generation cultivated meat.