Highly Sustainable Plant and Yeast Hydrolysate-Based Alternative for Basal Medium Supports Long-Term In Vitro Propagation of Bovine Satellite Cells

The production of cultured meat will require large quantities of cell culture medium, presenting challenges related to high costs and limited sustainability of both protein-based components and other ingredients of the basal medium. To date, most research has focused on substituting and optimizing protein-based medium components, leading to significant progress in reducing costs associated with growth factors and serum albumin. However, the basal medium—containing amino acids, vitamins, carbon sources, and microelements—is equally essential. While some efforts have been made to optimize its composition, the environmental impact of using chemically fully defined mixtures remains considerable, and cost reductions are challenging. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to basal medium production by utilizing a mixture of partially hydrolyzed plant and yeast biomass. Our results demonstrate that hydrolysate-based basal medium (HBBM) performs comparably to chemically fully defined basal medium during proliferation and differentiation of bovine satellite cells. Furthermore, a comparative life cycle assessment was performed to explore the environmental impacts of replacing chemically fully defined medium with HBBM. The analysis showed potential reduction in environmental impacts, highlighting the relevance of basal medium formulation as a key element to influence ecological sustainability.