# Trends and Technological Challenges of 3D Bioprinting in Cultured Meat: Technological Prospection
## 4 Discussion  
### Overview of Main Studies  
The first cultured burger was produced and tested at a demonstration in London, England, in 2013, making that year a significant date in the history of cultured meat [38]. Dr. [PERSON], from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, was responsible for this landmark demonstration. He produced the cultured burger using the techniques and principles of muscle tissue engineering by cultivating in vitro stem cells taken from bovine skeletal muscle until edible filaments resembling natural meat were formed [39]. In 2015, the [PERSON] lab reported a drastic drop in cultured hamburger production costs, i.e., from USD 325,000 to about USD 12 per hamburger or about USD 80 per kilogram of meat produced [40; 41]. In 2020, there were more than 70 startups focused on developing innovations in the cultured meat sector, and as of 2020, around 25 countries are home to at least one company focused on the production of cultured meat [17]. Among the 39 documents retrieved in Filter 2 (Table 1), the most cited article (68 citations) was authored by [PERSON] et al. [28]. They used \"Tendon-gel-integrated biofprinting\" (TIP) technology to biofabricate fibers that simulate muscles, adipose tissue, and capillaries. These constituents were later manually assembled to mimic the histological structure of a conventional steak with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of 10 mm. The second most cited study, with 55 citations, was a review article published by [PERSON] et al. in 2022 [29]. This paper highlights the benefits of 3D bioprinting technology for the scalable and reproducible biofabrication of cultured meat. The authors emphasize that 3D bioprinting can offer unique solutions to vital questions about the biofabrication of cultured meat, mainly those concerned with regulating the nutritional contents of cultured meat, including its protein and fat components, as well as questions related to the texture of the final product. In the third most cited study (\(n=37\)), [PERSON] and [PERSON] [30], the authors conducted an exploratory qualitative study investigating consumer attitudes toward cultured meat produced via 3D bioprinting and insect-based foods. According to the study, participants recognized the potential and benefits of these alternative food sources. They mentioned that the safety, flavor, and similarity to the original protein sources are vital factors in the acceptance of these products. In general, however, the participants expressed levels of concern and insecurity regarding producing these products, with only a few individuals reporting real interest in tasting the food and supporting the associated technological development. The fourth most cited article which resulted from this search (\(n=34\)), written by [PERSON] et al. [31], discussed the properties of vertebrate skeletal muscle that must be successfully replicated in order to obtain an acceptable product, as well as the current state of scaffold innovation within the cultured meat industry. They highlighted the materials and promising fabrication techniques that may be applied in the development of cultured meat. The authors also provided recommendations on how to support the growth of high-quality cultured meat production while minimizing biofabrication costs for future research on scaffolds. Interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to overcoming the challenges arising from the innovation that is the biofabrication of cultured meat. Specialists in tissue engineering, food science, chemistry, material science, mechanical engineering, and many other fields will need to operate at the intersections of their collective knowledge in order for this technology to reach its full potential. Finally, the fifth most cited review (\(n=25\)), [PERSON] et al. [32], analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of different methods of artificial meat production, comparing \"cultured meat\" with \"modified livestock systems\" and \"meat substitutes\".