New perspectives on serum-free cell culture: Harnessing microbial resources for innovative media development in food biomanufacturing.

Cell culture is a fundamental technique in food biomanufacturing. However, the inherent limitations of traditional serum-containing culture systems hinder the scalable application of cell culture in the food industry, thus driving the development of serum-free cell culture. This review summarizes the current status and technical challenges of serum-free media (SFM) for cells relevant to food biomanufacturing. In this context, we systematically compile recent advances in the use of microbial resources as potential supplements for SFM, given that their functional ingredients are capable of meeting cellular nutritional requirements, alleviating cellular stress damage and maintaining cell functionality. Furthermore, we propose development strategies for microbial resource-based SFM, including the construction of candidate component pools, identification of cellular requirements and limiting factors, and the formulation and optimization of components based on a "resource-requirement matching" framework. This review provides methodological support for the rational design of SFM and contributes to advancing food biomanufacturing toward more cost-effective, controllable, and scalable production.