Scientists in Japan have grown what’s believed to be the world’s largest lab-grown chicken nugget using a novel technique that simulates a circulatory system. By embedding 50 hollow fibers that act like artificial veins, the team successfully delivered oxygen and nutrients throughout a 2.7-inch-wide, 0.7-inch-thick piece of muscle tissue—something previous methods failed to accomplish at this scale. The breakthrough was published in Trends in Biotechnology.

While not made with food-grade materials and therefore inedible, the nugget showcases a step forward in growing thicker, more realistic cuts of meat. According to professor Shoji Takeuchi of the University of Tokyo, the hollow fiber technology—previously used in dialysis filters—offers a promising path not only for food production but also for applications in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and biohybrid robotics.

Chicken produced with 1125-fiber HFB.

Still, Takeuchi notes that scaling production will require automated systems for removing the fibers and better oxygen delivery for larger cuts. Texture and taste remain hurdles, and U.S. consumers remain skeptical. A 2024 Purdue survey found one-third unwilling to try lab-grown chicken, with 40% rejecting cultivated pork.

Cultured meat remains rare in the market, with legal sales currently limited to Singapore, the U.S., and Israel. Only two U.S. companies have federal approval to sell it, while states like Florida and Alabama have moved to ban it entirely.