A scaffold based on uncoated rice grains integrated with piscine cells supporting the production of a sustainable food.

Searching for natural scaffolds with structural and nutritional properties favorable for cell adhesion and growth is a challenge for piscine cell culture. In this study, myoblasts and preadipocytes from Larimichthys crocea were cultured on uncoated rice grains, and the cell confluence reached over 80% after two days of cultivation. The physical and chemical properties of different rice grains showed that the hardness had a relatively significant regulatory effect on the growth of cells, and 6.45 to 7.28 N was beneficial for the growth of cells. Finally, the nutritional composition and flavor of rice grains were evaluated, revealing that myotubes-organized rice grains were rich in protein, adipocytes-organized rice grains were high in fat. All rice grain samples displayed enhanced flavor profiles. These findings suggest that specific rice varieties can serve as effective scaffolds for the in vitro proliferation and differentiation of piscine stem cells. The resulting rice-meat composite food emerges as a promising innovative food product.