Dried food products formed from cultured muscle cells

Abstract

Dehydrated, edible, high-protein food products formed of cultured muscle cells that are combined (e.g., mixed) with a hydrogel (e.g., a plant-derived polysaccharide) are described. These food products may be formed into a chip (e.g., snack chip), that has a protein content of greater than 50%. One or more flavorants may also be included.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An edible, dehydrated food product, the food product comprising:
 cultured animal muscle cells, the cultured animal muscle cells combined with a plant-derived hydrogel;   wherein the cultured animal muscle cells and plant-derived hydrogel are formed as a dehydrated sheet of material.   
     
     
         2 . The food product of  claim 1 , further comprising a flavorant. 
     
     
         3 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the cultured animal muscle cells and plant-derived hydrogel are distributed throughout the sheet of material. 
     
     
         4 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein dehydrated cultured animal muscle cells having a diameter of between about 5 to 30 μm are distributed throughout the sheet of material. 
     
     
         5 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the cultured animal muscle cells are derived from one or more of: beef, veal, pork, chicken, or fish. 
     
     
         6 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the cultured animal muscle cells comprise one or more of: skeletal myocytes, satellite cells, smooth myocytes, and cardiac myocytes. 
     
     
         7 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the plant-derived hydrogel comprises pectin. 
     
     
         8 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the plant-derived hydrogel comprises a low methyl (LM) esterified pectin. 
     
     
         9 . An edible, dehydrated food product configured as a snack chip, the food product comprising:
 an edible body formed as a sheet of material comprising dehydrated cultured animal muscle cells and a plant-derived polysaccharide; and   a flavorant,   wherein the cultured animal muscle cells and plant-derived polysaccharides are distributed throughout the sheet of material.   
     
     
         10 . The food product of  claim 9 , wherein the edible body has a diameter that is more than ten times the thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The food product of  claim 9 , wherein the cultured animal muscle cells are derived from one or more of: beef, veal, pork, chicken, or fish. 
     
     
         12 . The food product of  claim 9 , wherein the cultured animal muscle cells comprise one or more of: skeletal myocytes, satellite cells, smooth myocytes, and cardiac myocytes. 
     
     
         13 . The food product of  claim 9 , wherein the plant-derived hydrogel comprises pectin. 
     
     
         14 . The food product of  claim 9 , wherein the plant-derived polysaccharide comprises a low methyl (LM) esterified pectin.