Mission Barns is wagering on plant-based pork fat to elevate the taste of alternative meats.

A former coworker of mine had a peculiar lunchtime routine. He followed a vegetarian diet for health reasons but craved the taste of ground beef. To satisfy this, he would ask the cafeteria chef to prepare a veggie burger alongside the beef patties, using the grease to elevate the flavor of the plant-based option.

It appears that the team at Mission Barns took notice of our lunch conversations. They have developed an animal-free, cultured pork fat, which has recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as reported exclusively by TechCrunch. This endorsement allows the startup to market the fat directly to consumers.

This marks the first product of its kind to be introduced to the market, creating opportunities for a diverse range of enhanced meat alternatives.

“It enables anyone utilizing our ingredient to bring their product to market,” remarked Cecilia Chang, chief business officer at Mission Barns, in an interview with TechCrunch.

Researchers have been working on culturing meat for years. The first lab-grown burger was tasted by food critics in 2013, costing around $330,000. While prices have dropped significantly since then, lab-grown beef remains several times more expensive than a standard McDonald’s burger. A major factor is that muscle cells require a specific substrate for growth, while most cultured cells today thrive in large liquid media tanks.

Conversely, fat is less demanding, allowing for more cost-effective growth without straining consumers’ wallets. Moreover, it imparts rich flavors.

To produce the fat, Mission Barns starts with a small biopsy taken from a living pig. This sample is placed in a bioreactor filled with growth media. Since fat floats, the company designed its own bioreactor to ensure even dispersion of cells in the media. If they cluster at the top, they won’t receive adequate nutrition for healthy growth.

Mission Barns is introducing alternative products such as bacon, meatballs, and sausages, crafted from pea protein combined with its cultured pork fat. They are also supplying other companies with this fat for incorporation into their recipes. Ultimately, Chang highlighted that their primary focus will be selling to other food manufacturers.

While pea protein is a common ingredient in alternative meats, Chang emphasized that Mission Barns’ formulation stands out. “The fat contributes significant flavor, enabling us to reduce or eliminate some of the more expensive ingredients, like artificial flavorings,” she clarified.

Chang further noted that, surprisingly, Mission Barns’ cultured pork fat could lead to healthier meat alternatives. The recipes will require less salt to mask the taste of pea protein, and the company can modify the animals’ nutrition to boost omega-3 fatty acids, for example.

Looking ahead, Mission Barns is exploring the possibility of developing pork fat with a deeper flavor profile. “You can use less fat while achieving a nutritional composition similar to that of salmon fat,” Chang stated. “When we discuss this with potential partners, the feedback is overwhelmingly positive.”