Towards intelligent cultivated/cultured meat factories: The synergy of AI, 3D bioprinting and automation in next-gen food manufacturing

Complex fibrous microarchitectures are common in biology, with fiber orientation playing a key role in the structure-function relationships that govern tissue behavior. Directional imaging modalities, such as diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTMRI), can be used to derive a 3D vector map of fiber orientation. Incorporating this alignment information into engineered tissues remains a challenging and evolving area of research, with direct incorporation of directional imaging data into engineered tissue structures yet to be achieved. Here we describe an algorithmic framework, entitled Nonplanar, Architecture-Aligned Toolpathing for In Vitro 3D bioprinting (NAATIV3), which processes DTMRI data to map tissue fibers, reduce them to a representative subset, remove conflicting fibers, select a printable sequence, and output a G-code file. DTMRI data from a human left ventricle was used to 3D print fibered models with high accuracy. It is anticipated that NAATIV3 is generalizable beyond the cardiac application demonstrated here. Directional imaging data from a variety of organs, disease states, and developmental timepoints may be processible by NAATIV3, enabling the creation of models for understanding development, physiology, and pathophysiology. Furthermore, the NAATIV3 framework could be extended to bioengineered food manufacturing, plant engineering, and beyond.

From the Publisher: Comprehensive in scope, this up-to-date reference systematically covers the fundamentals and latest advances in computerized automation and process control, control algorithms, and specific applications essential to food manufacturing processes and unit operations - highlighting the use of efficient process controls to convert from batch to continuous operation and enhance plant sanitation. Comparing both established and innovative control schemes, Computerized Control Systems in the Food Industry explains which tools, instruments, and related introductory information are needed to develop process controls...discusses elementary and advanced process modeling, as well as neurofuzzy, sensor, and image processing technologies...describes computerized automation for critical unit operations used in food manufacturing, plus warehouse management and packaging systems...examines automation and computer-integrated manufacturing in major food industries...and more. Illustrated with over 225 schematics, flow diagrams, equations, drawings, photographs, and tables that reinforce and clarify important concepts, Computerized Control Systems in the Food Industry serves as a practical guide for food, process, process control, computer, chemical, food plant, agricultural, instrumentation, industrial, and consulting engineers; food scientists and technologists; food processors and manufacturers; and computer and information scientists.

Cartilage, an important connective tissue, provides structural support to other body tissues, and serves as a cushion against impacts throughout the body. Found at the end of the bones, cartilage decreases friction and averts bone-on-bone contact during joint movement. Therefore, defects of cartilage can result from natural wear and tear, or from traumatic events, such as injuries or sudden changes in direction during sports activities. Overtime, these cartilage defects which do not always produce immediate symptoms, could lead to severe clinical pathologies. The emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has revolutionized the field of regenerative medicine, providing a promising platform for generating various cell types for therapeutic applications. Thus, chondrocytes differentiated from iPSCs become a promising avenue for non-invasive clinical interventions for cartilage injuries and diseases. In this review, we aim to highlight the current strategies used for in vitro chondrogenic differentiation of iPSCs and to explore their multifaceted applications in disease modeling, drug screening, and personalized regenerative medicine. Achieving abundant functional iPSC-derived chondrocytes requires optimization of culture conditions, incorporating specific growth factors, and precise temporal control. Continual improvements in differentiation methods and integration of emerging genome editing, organoids, and 3D bioprinting technologies will enhance the translational applications of iPSC-derived chondrocytes. Finally, to unlock the benefits for patients suffering from cartilage diseases through iPSCs-derived technologies in chondrogenesis, automatic cell therapy manufacturing systems will not only reduce human intervention and ensure sterile processes within isolator-like platforms to minimize contamination risks, but also provide customized production processes with enhanced scalability and efficiency.Graphical abstract

Robotics and Automation in Food Manufacturing

Industrial automation in food manufacturing

This study investigated the application of robotic automation in food manufacturing, focusing on enhancing tray transporting operations through a simulation-based approach. The findings primarily focused on bakery production but also demonstrate broader applicability to other sectors that involve repetitive and labor-intensive tasks. The researchers analyzed worker fatigue and limited productivity associated with manual tray handling. To evaluate these issues, simulations were conducted for two scenarios (Case A and Case B), applying robotic automation systems at different stages of production. Key performance indicators (throughput and utilization rates) were analyzed to assess improvements in process efficiency and reductions in worker strain. The results showed that robotic automation significantly increased throughput by 83.7% in simpler processes and by 27.1% in more complex ones, highlighting the impact of task complexity on automation effectiveness. Workforce demands decreased and demonstrated the potential of automation to alleviate physical strain in repetitive tasks. Simulations provided insights into workflow optimization, confirming their value as reliable tools for planning and refining automation strategies. The proposed framework offers a flexible and scalable solution for enhancing efficiency and consistency in manufacturing. Future research should apply similar approaches to other industries and explore the integration of human and robotic labor to further optimize safety, productivity, and cost effectiveness.

Factory-based food production and processing globally forms one of the largest economic and employment sectors. Within it, current automation and engineering practice is highly variable, ranging from completely manual operations to the use of the most advanced manufacturing systems. This chapter will discuss the factors that make automation of food production so essential and at the same time consider counterinfluences that on occasions have prevented this automation uptake. The chapter will focus on the diversity of an industry covering areas such as bakery, dairy, confectionary, snacks, meat, poultry, seafood, produce, sauce/condiments, frozen, and refrigerated products, which means that generic solutions are often (considered by the industry) difficult or impossible to obtain. However, it will also be shown that there are many features in the production process that are almost completely generic, such as labeling, quality/safety automation/inspection, and palletization, and others that do in fact require an almost unique approach due to the natural and highly variable features of food products. In considering these needs, this chapter has therefore approached the specific automation requirements of food production from two perspectives. Firstly, it will be shown that in many cases there are generic automation solutions that could be valuably used across the industry ranging from small cottage facilities to large multinational manufacturers. Examples of generic types of automation well suited across the industry will be provided. In addition, for some very specific difficult handling operations, customized solutions will be shown to give opportunities to study the problems/risks/demands associated with food handling and to provide an insight into the solution, thereby demonstrating that in most instances the difficult/impossible can indeed be achieved.

A Brief Review of Artificial Intelligence Robotic in Food Industry