Composite materials comprising a polymer scaffold and methods of making and using
AssigneeAquaCultured Foods, Inc.
InventorsAnne PALERMO, Robert SCHULTZ, Mary KASPER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for manufacturing, processing and storing composite materials, containing bacterial cellulose and eukaryotic cells, e.g., fungal cells. The methods comprise a first culture, in which bacteria produce a cellulose-containing scaffold, and a second culture, in which the scaffold is cultured in the presence of eukaryotic cells, such as fungi or animal cells, which populate the scaffold to produce the composite material.
Claims146
A method comprising:
- (a) providing a scaffold comprising bacterial cellulose;
- and
- (b) populating the scaffold with eukaryotic cells, to produce a composite material.
A composite material comprising:
- (a) bacterial cellulose, and
- (b) cellular material from a eukaryotic cell;
- wherein the composite material is free or essentially free of living or dead bacterial cells.
A method for making a composite material, comprising:
- (a) culturing bacterial cells in a first culture medium to produce a scaffold of bacterial cellulose in the culture;
- (b) isolating the scaffold of bacterial cellulose;
- (c) culturing eukaryotic cells with the isolated scaffold in a second culture medium;
- and
- (d) removing the second culture medium, thereby providing a composite material.
A culture comprising:
- (a) bacterial cellulose;
- (b) eukaryotic cells;
- and
- (c) a culture medium;
- wherein the culture is free or essentially free of living bacterial cells.
An animal flesh analogue food product comprising:
- (a) about 20% to about 90% dry weight of a scaffold comprising fibers of bacterial cellulose;
- (b) about 0.05% to about 80% dry weight of eukaryotic protein;
- (c) about 0.05% to about 5% dry weight of polyunsaturated fatty acid;
- (e) a flavoring agent;
- (d) a coloring agent;
- and, optionally,
- (f) about 1% to about 80% dry weight of a supplemental nutrient;
- and/or
- (g) a freeze-thaw stabilizer.
A composite material comprising:
- (a) a chitosan-alginate hydrogel, an alginate-gelatin polymer, cellulose acetate fibers, cellulose acetate-chitosan fibers, an agarose hydrogel, or an agarose-alginate hydrogel, and
- (b) cellular material from a eukaryotic cell.
A method for making a composite material, the method comprising culturing fungal cells on:
- (I) a chitosan-alginate hydrogel;
- (II) an alginate-gelatin polymer;
- (Ill) cellulose acetate fibers;
- (IV) cellulose acetate-chitosan fibers;
- (V) an agarose hydrogel;
- or
- (VI) an agarose-alginate hydrogel.
A culture comprising:
- (a) a chitosan-alginate hydrogel, an alginate-gelatin polymer, cellulose acetate fibers, cellulose acetate-chitosan fibers, an agarose hydrogel, or an agarose-alginate hydrogel;
- (b) fungal cells;
- and
- (c) a culture medium.
A method comprising:
- (a) producing a composite material by:
- (i) co-culturing one or more bacteria and one or more fungi in a culture medium comprising a carbon source, a nitrogen source, and nutrients for time sufficient to form a pellicle at least 2.5 mm thick comprising a scaffold of bacterial cellulose and fungal protein;
- or
- (ii) culturing one or more bacteria for time sufficient to form a pellicle at least 2.5 mm thick comprising a scaffold of bacterial cellulose, and, optionally, killing bacteria in the pellicle;
- and culturing the pellicle with one or more fungi in a culture medium comprising a carbon source, a nitrogen source and nutrients for time sufficient for the fungi to infiltrate the scaffold;
- (b) harvesting the composite material and treating it to kill bacterial and fungal cells, e.g., by heating in an acidic solution or an alkaline solution, e.g., at 90° C.;
- (c) optionally, cutting the composite material into a plurality of pieces;
- (d) marinating the composite material in a solution comprising one or more flavorings and one or more colorants.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.