Exploring Plant Cell Cultures As A Way To Climate-Proof Coffee – CoffeeTalk

In the race to ensure sustainable coffee production, plant cell culture has emerged as a promising scalable alternative to traditional methods. Unlike precision fermentation, which requires costly downstream processing to extract and purify ingredients, plant cell culture allows firms to harvest the entire biomass of the plants. “We don’t have to get rid of the host [microorganism]; we’re basically just growing cells, collecting the biomass, and drying it,” explains Schaub from Food Brewer.

Moreover, the costs associated with the growth media are significantly lower than those used in cultivated meat production. “We only pay a few cents per liter for the media, which is primarily composed of sugars along with minerals, vitamins, and plant growth hormones,” adds Schaub.

Food Brewer’s innovative approach focuses on optimizing cell lines and cell culture media to create the most cost-efficient processes. This endeavor is bolstered by a partnership with Fruitful Ai, which has developed an automated platform for cell selection and media screening.

“We’ve filed a patent application covering our unique method to establish stable cell lines that can grow in liquid suspension in a bioreactor as opposed to on a petri dish very quickly,” notes Schaub.

This method also opens up opportunities to work with rare coffee and cocoa varieties that may not be viable for mass cultivation as fully grown plants but can thrive in a plant cell culture environment.

While Food Brewer invests significant resources into optimizing cell lines and bioreactor conditions, Schaub emphasizes that crucial work happens post-harvest during fermentation and roasting stages. “We conduct chemical analyses of the coffee at the ‘green’ stage (the harvested biomass), after roasting, and at the brewed stage to fine-tune the profile for optimal flavor and aroma,” he explains.

Schaub also points out that caffeine content in coffee derived from plant cell culture tends to be lower than that in traditional coffee beans. This reduced caffeine level may appeal to consumers seeking coffee experiences without excessive caffeine.

As Food Brewer prepares to enter the market, the company is initially focusing on the U.S. market and plans to file GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) notifications with the FDA this year, aiming for market entry in late 2026. Regarding labeling, Schaub states, “Obviously, what we harvest from coffee cell culture is coffee, but we’re discussing with the FDA and our advisors how best to communicate our process; labeling is still to be determined.”

With its innovative plant cell culture approach, Food Brewer is positioning itself to revolutionize the future of coffee production, making it more sustainable while catering to evolving consumer preferences.

Read More @ AFN