David Kaplan

Out in @NatureRevMat, we chart the biomaterials toolkit for future foods: polysaccharides, plant & microbial proteins, lignin, polyesters, then show how AI-driven multiscale modeling can de-risk scale-up, tune texture + nutrition, and hit safety & LCA targets in cellular-ag and plant-based systems. The paper unpacks how scaffold chemistry & architecture govern both cell behavior and consumer-perceived texture, showcasing bio-inspired strategies that range from electrospun nanofiber mats to high-moisture-extruded or 3-D-printed glutenin networks; hybrid polysaccharide–protein meshes emerge as the sweet spot for marrying mechanical strength with cytocompatibility. It also quantifies the scale challenge: if future foods capture just 10% of the meat market, about 43 million t yr⁻¹ of edible biomaterials will be required (demand that calls for AI-guided sourcing and formulation to balance cost, nutrition and sustainability). A toolkit of solvent-casting, electrospinning, extrusion and decellularization is mapped out, with first-principles based multiscale simulation and LCA/TEA models highlighted as critical for translating these process–structure relationships into sensory targets and industry-ready workflows. Nice work with a great team @KaplanLab_Tufts @TuftsEngineer @RezaOvissipour et al.