This article is an English translation of a Foovo article, published with permission from Foovo.
The Cultivated meat Future Creation Consortium is showcasing a real prototype of 3D printed cultivated meat and unveiling a conceptual model of a home meat maker at the Expo 2025 Osaka, which opened on April 13.
The exhibit is located in the “City of the Future” zone on the first floor of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion.
This consortium comprises six organizations from diverse sectors: Osaka University, Shimadzu Corporation, Itoham Yonekyu Holdings, TOPPAN Holdings, SIGMAXYZ, and ZACROS.
Together, they aim to advance cultivated meat technology through cross-industry collaboration, with the goal of commercializing the product by 2031.
Customized Marbled Meat at Home | The Home Meat Maker Vision
Source: Cultivated meat Future Creation Consortium
The meat maker (concept model) on display this time is based on the theme of “marbled meat made at home”, and is designed to be able to output custom-made marbled meat in the future, tailored to the individual’s health and preferences, in the home kitchen (click here for details of the booth).
While universities and companies involved in cultivated meat research have long aimed to offer public tastings at the Expo, this has not been realized due to the late of regulation in Japan.
As an alternative, a special event is scheduled for July 8 at the “Reborn Stage” within the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion, where visitors will be able to experience the aroma of grilled cultivated meat.
Osaka University Achieves Breakthrough in Cultured Beef Prototypes
Source: NHK “The Future of Making Meat at Home” – Cultivated meat Exhibit at Osaka-Kansai Expo
According to NHK, Professor Michiya Matsusaki, who leads cultivated meat R&D at Osaka University, has successfully produced two pieces of cultured beef, each approximately 9 cm by 15 cm.
Ahead of the Expo exhibit, Professor Matsusaki and his team conducted their first sensory evaluation, tasting the cultivated meat output by a 3D printer. The meat reportedly had a texture and tenderness similar to conventional meat, leaving a strong impression of authenticity.
Such efforts are not limited to Osaka University—research across Japan is advancing rapidly. As the country moves closer to the practical use of cultivated meat, sensory evaluations are playing an increasingly important role in improving product quality.
In August last year, Professor Shoji Takeuchi’s lab at the University of Tokyo announced the successful production of a 1.5 cm thick cultivated meat sample (5.5 cm x 4 cm x 1.5 cm). In March 2022, they conducted a tasting and sensory evaluation with research collaborators in partnership with Nissin Foods Holdings.
More recently, in February of this year, Japan’s first cellular agriculture startup, IntegriCulture, unveiled seven cultivated meat prototypes and hosted a sensory evaluation event with approximately 30 participants involved in development.
Experience the Cultivated meat Future at the Expo
Photo by Foovo (Ayumi Sato), late July 2024
The Osaka Expo presents the public with their first opportunity to witness real cultivated meat firsthand.
This exhibit is not merely a technological demonstration—it challenges society to think about how cultivated meat can become integrated into our daily lives, especially in the context of global challenges like food insecurity and climate change.
Ten years from now, we may see home meat makers as common household appliances, allowing individuals to produce cultivated meat from cells based on their own preferences—just like dishwashers, which were once novel but are now a standard kitchen fixture.
Internationally, regulatory frameworks are already taking shape. Cultivated meat for human consumption has received regulatory approval in Singapore, US, Israel, and Hong Kong. Most recently, Australia and New Zealand have also granted approval, with legal sales expected to begin by mid-June after final procedural steps are completed.
During a visit to a Singaporean grocery store in July last year, I was deeply surprised by the sight of cultivated meat displayed alongside conventional meat products. It was clear that cultivated meat had become one of the consumer choices on offer. Having tasted products from two companies—Vow and GOOD Meat—in Singapore, I felt that cultivated meat is already becoming a real part of everyday consumption.
Last year, the Netherlands—often seen as the birthplace of cultivated meat—also began allowing pre-approval tastings. However, public tastings in Japan remain unavailable. Nevertheless, through the exhibit and aroma experience at this Expo, visitors can get a preview of a future in which cultivated meat is an everyday part of life.
You may also LIKE
Image Source: NHK “The Future of Making Meat at Home” – Cultivated meat Exhibit at Osaka-Kansai Expo
