Cellular agriculture education in Brazilian undergraduate programs: not as far as it seems

Abstract

Cellular agriculture has the potential to transform global food production through alternative proteins, necessitating a skilled workforce. This study aimed to analyze the curricula of Brazilian graduate programs related to food production to identify those addressing cellular agriculture topics. We reviewed nineteen undergraduate curricula from Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, Bioprocess and Biotechnology Engineering, and Food Engineering across twelve institutions. These were compared with the curriculum of the Introduction to Cellular Animal Science course at Universidade Federal do Paraná and the undergraduate minor in Cellular Agriculture at Tufts University, as well as knowledge required for cultivated meat production. Our comparative analysis found that courses such as microbiology and biochemistry exhibited 100% similarity, while statistics and economics (94.7%) and cellular biology and genetics (68.4%) also showed consistent content. In contrast, courses in sustainability (94.7%), administration and entrepreneurship (89.5%), and others revealed significant variability. The study concludes that existing programs provide foundational knowledge for professionals entering this emerging field, but further specialization is necessary. Additionally, our findings could inform the development of new curricula specifically designed to prepare professionals for careers in cellular agriculture.