Cultured biomass enhances the flavor and nutrition characteristics of biomass/plant hybrid cultured meatballs

Cultured biomass, as a novel food ingredient, significantly contributes to providing meat-like flavor and nutrition. In this study, cultured porcine fat biomass (hereafter referred to as “biomass”) was used as a fat substitute in the biomass/plant hybrid cultured meatballs (BPMs) to investigate the effect of biomass levels (0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %) on the flavor and nutritional characteristics, compared to the FPM-10 % group containing 10 % pig subcutaneous fat. Results showed that increasing biomass levels significantly enhanced the protein, fat, and total amino acid content of BPMs ( p  < 0.05), with MUFA proportion rising from 20.46 % to 28.71 %. The addition of biomass increased fatty acid diversity from 20 types in the BPM-0 % group to 26 types in the BPMs, aligning their composition more closely with the FPM-10 % group. A total of 43 volatile compounds were identified in the BPMs, with biomass enriching BPMs with abundant ketones and alcohols, key contributors to a meat-like aroma. Amino acid analysis and electronic tongue results further indicated that the BPM-10 % group had a taste profile closer to the FPM-10 % group. Fatty acid composition and electronic nose analysis revealed that higher biomass content (BPM-20 % and BPM-30 %) resulted in a fatty acid profile more similar to the FPM-10 % group. Notably, the BPM-20 % group exhibited an aroma profile closer to the FPM-10 % group, whereas the BPM-10 % group displayed a taste profile more similar to the FPM-10 % group. These results offer a theoretical foundation for the large-scale production of cultured meat and the enhancement of flavor in meat alternatives.