Scientists in Japan have successfully grown the world's largest single piece of lab-cultured chicken, roughly the size of a large nugget, using a novel technique that mimics a biological circulatory system. This breakthrough overcomes previous limitations where cultured meat consisted mainly of tiny cell clumps, often needing edible scaffolding. The new method employs a bioreactor with fine, hollow fibers acting like artificial veins, which deliver essential nutrients and oxygen deep into the tissue, enabling the cells to survive and organize into a more substantial, structured piece measuring 2.7 inches wide and 0.7 inches thick, a significant step towards creating whole-cut style cultured meats.

Despite this advancement, significant hurdles remain before such products reach consumers. The current prototype was not made with food-grade materials and hasn't been tasted, and challenges include replicating authentic taste and texture, automating the production process, and ensuring adequate nutrient delivery for even larger cuts. Furthermore, the technology faces mixed consumer attitudes regarding perceived unnaturalness and safety, alongside regulatory patchwork, with sales currently legal only in Singapore, the US, and Israel, while states like Florida and Alabama have enacted bans.