COLUMBUS, OHIO — Matrix F.T., a Dublin, Ohio-based manufacturer of animal component-free, plant-based scaffolds and microcarriers, announced the creation of cultivated chicken at its Ohio facility.

Matrix F.T.’s customers develop complex cell-based meat and dairy products. The company created cultivated chicken to demonstrate to existing and potential customers how scaffolds and microcarriers can be key ingredients in cultivated meat production.

"It had a great flavor, texture, and we were delighted to give a small example of how our customizable products can contribute to each of our customers' unique cell-based foods that they are going to take to market," said Heidi Coia, PhD, director of product development and innovation at Matrix F.T.

Matrix F.T.’s microcarriers help grow and proliferate cells in bioreactors for cultivated meat products. Scaffolds are used to proliferate, mature and differentiate cells, signaling gene expressions and protein expressions, which turns cells into complex tissue structures like cultivated meat.

Coia used primary chicken myoblasts obtained through a university partner to create the cultivated chicken. The cultivated cells were harvested and combined with a proprietary mixture of plant-based proteins to form an edible, hybrid chicken nugget.