Creating Cell‐Based Hybrid Noodles for Sustainable and Nutrient‐Balanced Diets via a Serum‐Free and Animal‐Free 3D Co‐Differentiation System

This study develops a 3D co‐culture and co‐differentiation system for porcine muscle stem cells (pMuSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) on edible starch‐based scaffolds. The system simultaneously generates myotubes and adipocytes without using serum or chemical inducers. The resulting cell‐based hybrid noodles combine balanced nutrition, improved texture, and meaty flavor. ABSTRACT The growing demand for sustainable and nutritionally balanced food has fueled innovation in cell‐based hybrid foods. Here, we introduce an approach for developing hybrid noodles that combine carbohydrates, proteins, and fats through the 3D co‐culture and co‐differentiation of porcine muscle stem cells (pMuSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) on engineered animal‐free scaffolds. We demonstrate that co‐culture with pMSCs significantly enhances the myogenic efficiency of late‐passage pMuSCs and reveal key signaling pathways mediating this effect. Importantly, we establish a streamlined co‐differentiation system that achieves simultaneous generation of myotubes and adipocytes in 3 days, without relying on serum or conventional chemical inducers. Thereafter, we develop an edible, starch‐based scaffold with excellent mechanical strength and cytocompatibility, leading to the successful production of cell‐based hybrid noodles. This hybrid noodle exhibits a balanced macronutrient profile, enhanced texture, and a distinct meaty flavor compared to conventional starch‐based noodles. This study offers a promising approach to establishing sustainable and nutritionally complete food systems. This study develops a 3D co-culture and co-differentiation system for porcine muscle stem cells (pMuSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) on edible starch-based scaffolds. The system simultaneously generates myotubes and adipocytes without using serum or chemical inducers. The resulting cell-based hybrid noodles combine balanced nutrition, improved texture, and meaty flavor. ABSTRACT The growing demand for sustainable and nutritionally balanced food has fueled innovation in cell-based hybrid foods. Here, we introduce an approach for developing hybrid noodles that combine carbohydrates, proteins, and fats through the 3D co-culture and co-differentiation of porcine muscle stem cells (pMuSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (pMSCs) on engineered animal-free scaffolds. We demonstrate that co-culture with pMSCs significantly enhances the myogenic efficiency of late-passage pMuSCs and reveal key signaling pathways mediating this effect. Importantly, we establish a streamlined co-differentiation system that achieves simultaneous generation of myotubes and adipocytes in 3 days, without relying on serum or conventional chemical inducers. Thereafter, we develop an edible, starch-based scaffold with excellent mechanical strength and cytocompatibility, leading to the successful production of cell-based hybrid noodles. This hybrid noodle exhibits a balanced macronutrient profile, enhanced texture, and a distinct meaty flavor compared to conventional starch-based noodles. This study offers a promising approach to establishing sustainable and nutritionally complete food systems. Advanced Science, EarlyView.