Method for producing cell-cultivated plant seeds, beans, stones and / or nuts

Abstract

The invention relates to a bulking material comprising a plurality of nuts, stones, plant seeds and / or beans, in particular coffee beans (107, 108), of a plant which are formed by shaping. Each of the nuts, stones, plant seeds and / or beans has an immobilised plant-specific cell material, the entirety of the plant-specific cell material of the nuts, stones, plant seeds and / or beans having somaclones distributed among a plurality of nuts, stones, plant seeds and / or beans. The invention also relates to a granular bulking material and to a method for producing biotechnologically produced nuts, stones, plant seeds and / or beans.

Description

[0001] METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CELL-CULTURED PLANT SEEDS, BEANS, KERNEL AND / OR NUTS

[0002] The present invention relates to a granular bulk material, a plurality of granular elements, or a bulk material consisting of plant seeds, beans, kernels, and / or nuts formed by shaping, and to the production of cell-cultured plant seeds, beans, kernels, and / or nuts, more precisely, biotechnologically produced plant seeds, kernels, nuts, or beans comprising immobilized, plant-derived, cultured cell material from a plant corresponding to the plant seed, bean, kernel, and / or nut. The aforementioned plant seed, bean, kernel, or nut is, in particular, not capable of germination and does not contain a plant embryo.

[0003] In particular, the invention relates to a method for the biotechnological production of coffee beans based on cell-cultured material.

[0004] Cell cultivation and the associated research field of cellular agriculture for the provision of food is a current research focus in combating the causes and consequences of climate change.

[0005] All known approaches are based on the propagation of cell cultures using highly concentrated powdered and / or granular materials, which may be pressed into pills and the like.

[0006] However, the current trend in coffee preparation is increasingly moving towards providing coffee beans to the end customer for fresh grinding and processing into caffeinated hot drinks.

[0007] The article “Somatic embryogenesis of arabica coffee in temporary immersion culture: Advances, limitations and perspectives for mass propagation of selected genotypes” by Aguilar Maria Elena et al., Frontiers in plant science, Vol. 13, October 1, 2022, p. 994578, XP093297990 CH, ISSN: 1664-462X, describes the propagation of coffee plants using cell culture methods that always employ soft cell culture without the use of a hydrogel. To produce coffee beans, entire plants must be grown and cultivated using these methods. This exposes them to the effects of climate change, and unlike cell culture-based production methods, it does not allow for climate- and location-independent coffee bean production.

[0008] The article “Coffee Somatic Embryogenesis: How Did Research, Experience Gained and Innovations Promote the Commercial Propagation of Elite Clones from the two cultivated Spechies? Etienne Herve et al.; Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 9, 01.01.2018, p.1630, XP093297991 CH, ISSN 1664-462X” also deals with the production of seeds for plants that produce grown, unformed coffee beans.

[0009] A study in “Field evaluation of somaclonal variation in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L) and its application for crop improvement”, Encheva J. et al.; Euphy-tica, Vol. 130, No. 2; 01.01.2003, pp. 167-175, XP093297996, Dordrecht, ISSN: 0014-2336 deals with the propagation of sunflower plants from immature embryos without the cultivation of callus cultures or embedding in gel.

[0010] The documentation “Green 3D bioprinting of plant cells: A new scope for 3D bioprinting”; Landerneau, Solene et al.; Bioprinting, Vol. 27; August 1, 2022; bprint.2022.e00216 describes various studies on the 3D printing of plant cells, only a few of which relate to the production of food products such as carrots or lettuce. The 3D-printed constructs in these studies exhibit significantly different strength and / or shape than the natural product because lower concentrations of plant cells can be used in the processing steps and / or important process steps, such as drying, are omitted. Furthermore, lettuce leaves and carrots are not considered bulk materials.

[0011] US patent 2022 / 159922 A1 discloses the production of genetically modified, viable cannabis seeds for plant propagation. In this process, partially differentiated soft plant organs are encased in gel. There is no replication of a true-to-life fruit through the hardening of a callus mass.

[0012] The article “Proof of Concept for Cell Culture-based Coffee” by Aisala Heikki et al.; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; Vol. 71 No. 47, November 16, 2023, pp. 18478-18488, XP093265038 US, ISSN: 0021-8561, describes the use of coffee callus for direct drying, roasting, and consumption. However, it fails to consider the importance of the coffee's form during roasting, as described in the work by Khushva-kov et al. 2024 (10.1021 / ACSFOODSCITECH.4COQ238). Coffee callus is obtained as a powdered substance, not as a granular bed or even a bed of nuts, beans, and the like. The flavor profile is known to vary between coffee beans and coffee powder. Therefore, the processing methods and the resulting products are not comparable.

[0013] Other products, such as almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts, pine nuts, chia seeds and the like, are also not desired in ground form, but in their originally harvested form.

[0014] Based on this fundamental consideration, the object of the present invention is to provide a bulk of a plurality of nuts, kernels, plant seeds and / or beans which are produced biotechnologically and at the same time correspond as closely as possible to the original product in terms of taste and texture.

[0015] The present invention solves this problem through the features of claim 1.

[0016] Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing nuts, kernels, plant seeds and / or beans that are as true to the original as possible as a substitute product for natural nuts, kernels, plant seeds and / or beans.

[0017] The invention solves this problem through the features of claim 7.

[0018] Specifically for coffee beans, the object of the present invention is to provide a method which enables the adjustment of the aroma profile of roasted coffee beans.

[0019] The invention solves the problem through the features of claim 14.

[0020] A bulk material according to the invention comprises a plurality of nuts, kernels, plant seeds and / or beans of a plant, in particular coffee beans, preferably of a single variety, wherein each of the nuts, kernels, plant seeds and / or beans has immobilized plant-derived cell material.

[0021] The nuts, kernels, seeds, and / or beans of a plant are manufactured through shaping, meaning they did not grow naturally. They are therefore artificial nuts, kernels, seeds, and / or beans that are not capable of germination. Unlike naturally grown material, they preferably do not contain an embryo, but rather only one cell type or a maximum of three different cell types.

[0022] Corresponding shaping and multiplication processes have not yet been applied to cell culture methods. Here, the goal is to replicate a true-to-life fruit or seed. These fruits or seeds can ripen further, just like the originals, since in a preferred version, the biotechnologically produced fruit or seeds can also still contain living material.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the invention, a granular bulk of a plurality of granular elements, which are formed from plant cell material as food by shaping, wherein each element of the bulk has an immobilized plant cell material, wherein the entirety of the plant cell material of the bulk comprises somaclones which are distributed over several granular elements of the bulk, wherein at least 50% of all granular elements of the bulk are corresponding somaclones.

[0024] The invention thus encompasses not only the shaping of artificial non-germinating nuts, kernels, plant seeds, and / or beans, but also the shaping of a bulk material consisting of granular, i.e., non-powdered, elements. The granular elements preferably have a flavor of nuts, kernels, plant seeds, and / or beans, preferably in processed form. A preferred processing step within the scope of the invention is roasting, so that, for example, roasted nuts are provided. In this context, the terms "seeds and nuts" refer to a plant-specific form and not to the germination capacity of the material. For example, roasted natural coffee beans are also non-germinating. After post-ripening, the material can be dried and roasted analogously to the processing of conventionally produced coffee beans. Further adjustment or refinement of the aroma profile can also be achieved during the post-ripening process.

[0025] The aroma profile of whole beans, nuts, or granular material, especially after processing, differs from that of powdered material. This can be explained by differences in heat distribution, degree of drying, decomposition of components at the same roasting temperature, and other complex effects.

[0026] Without going into detail about specific effects, there's a reason why some users prefer roasted coffee beans to ground coffee. This reason lies in a different aroma profile. Processing a formless mass into a powder, for example by roasting it, results in a different taste than processing beans, nuts, or similar ingredients.

[0027] Without this differentiation in taste, there is no economically sensible reason for the inventive method and the inventive bulking or the inventive granular bulking.

[0028] For further differentiation, the aforementioned granular packing according to the invention comprises more than 50%, preferably 80%, granular elements with an average grain size of more than 2 mm as equivalent diameter.

[0029] The unique characteristic of nuts, kernels, seeds, and / or beans produced biotechnologically using cell culture is the presence of production-related somaclones, which are distributed across multiple nuts, kernels, seeds, and / or beans. For example, at least 50%, and preferably at least 80%, of all nuts, kernels, seeds, or beans in the batch can be corresponding somaclones. The high number of somaclones verifies that the product originated from cell culture. During cell culture, the desired aroma profile of the coffee can be specifically influenced across all beans in a batch. The occurrence of off-flavors from individual beans is significantly reduced with this production method compared to conventional cultivation.

[0030] In a first preferred embodiment, the immobilized plant cell material contains a large number of living cells, in particular a callus capable of further ripening. This embodiment corresponds, for example, to harvested coffee beans, which continue to ripen even during conventional processing. This possibility of further ripening allows the aroma profile of the coffee beans to develop or be enhanced.

[0031] In a second embodiment, the bulk material contains roasted coffee beans. After roasting, typically no living cells remain. Thus, the present invention protects both raw coffee beans and the roasted end product for the end customer.

[0032] In a particularly preferred variant, the bulk material can comprise a plurality of coffee beans formed by shaping from a coffee plant, wherein each of the coffee beans has immobilized plant cell material, wherein the totality of the plant cell material of the bulk material of shaped coffee beans has somaclones distributed across several coffee beans.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the invention, a method for producing a nut, a kernel, a plant seed and / or a bean of a plant, in particular for producing a bulk material as described above according to the invention.

[0034] The process is particularly favored for the production of a coffee bean from a coffee plant.

[0035] The nut, the kernel, the plant seed and / or the bean, especially the coffee bean, comprises immobilized plant cell material.

[0036] The procedure includes at least the following steps: I. Removal of an explant from a plant that produces a nut, kernel, seed or bean;

[0037] The explant can be taken from, for example, a fruit or a seed, or from another part of the plant, such as the leaf, stem or root.

[0038] II. Multiplication of the cell material of the explant, preferably by cultivating a callus from the explant;

[0039] A further step in the procedure is the multiplication of the explant cell material. This can initially take place on or in a first nutrient medium, e.g., a culture medium, to form a callus. Subsequently, a portion of the callus can be cultured as a liquid culture in a liquid nutrient medium. The multiplication therefore preferably comprises several steps.

[0040] III. Conversion of a portion of the increased living cell material into a hydrogel, forming a malleable mass encompassing the living cell material.

[0041] A further step is the conversion of the increased cell material into a hydrogel. For good processability, it is preferable to provide a homogeneous mixture of the cell material and the hydrogel. Preferably, this mixture can then be encapsulated with hydrogel as a protective measure.

[0042] Finally, step IV involves shaping the malleable mass comprising the hydrogel and the cell material into a nut, a kernel, a plant seed, or a bean of the plant from step I. This shaping takes place under conditions that allow for subsequent maturation or a second cultivation of the cell material contained in the nut, kernel, plant seed, or bean.

[0043] For reasons of nutritional compatibility, it is advantageous if the hydrogel is a plant-based hydrogel, preferably consisting exclusively of plant ingredients and water. The hydrogel may preferably include or consist of agarose, alginate, agar and / or pectin, particularly as a gel-forming component.

[0044] Alternatively or additionally, the hydrogels can also be protein-based and derived from non-plant sources. For example, recombinantly produced proteins can be used for gel formation.

[0045] Preferred examples are preferably chitosan or recombinant collagen.

[0046] The shaping can be advantageously carried out in a manner suitable for mass production by a casting process, preferably an injection molding process, or a printing process, preferably a screen printing process or a 3D bioprinting process. A so-called stencil printer can also be used in particular.

[0047] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the process includes at least one measurement of the produced coffee bean, in particular with regard to the concentration of one or more ingredients, and an adjustment of the propagation conditions in step II and / or of the ratio between cell material and hydrogel to form the malleable mass in step III is made based on this measurement.

[0048] This allows for targeted influence on the development of the aroma profile. An aroma profile is understood to be a sensory profile encompassing odorants, flavors, sweetness, saltiness, acidity, mouthfeel, aftertaste, and the balance of the individual components and their interactions. Furthermore, the aroma profile includes the biochemical composition, encompassing the content of caffeine, sucrose, trigonelline, chlorogenic acid, and / or various fatty acids, including riacylglycerols, sterols, and / or tocopherols. The concentration of one or more of these substances can be determined for the cell culture, the malleable mass, the biotechnologically produced crude product, or the dried and / or roasted product, and at least steps II and III of the process can be adjusted based on this determination.As previously discussed, the process may include post-processing following shaping, wherein the post-processing includes maturation and / or drying and / or roasting.

[0049] Post-processing can also include fermentation to adjust or influence the aroma profile. Fermentation also occurs with conventionally grown coffee beans, but primarily for the purpose of degummation. This is not necessary for the aforementioned biotechnologically produced products.

[0050] The concentration of one or more ingredients, in particular one or more flavorings, of the matured, dried and roasted coffee beans can be advantageously measured, and the process parameters of at least steps II and III can be adjusted based on the measured values ​​obtained.

[0051] The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment for the production of coffee beans as an example. The figures show:

[0052] Fig. 1 Schematic representation of a process flow up to the provision of a cell-cultured coffee bean;

[0053] Fig. 2 Figure for comparison between a natural coffee bean and an artificial coffee bean produced according to the invention.

[0054] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary process flow of a method according to the invention. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the method comprises at least six main steps, which are subdivided into several sub-steps.

[0055] The first step 101 involves taking an explant from a plant organism that reproduces via the plant seeds, beans, kernels, and / or nuts to be obtained. Specifically, the explant can be taken from a coffee plant 1.

[0056] The extraction can be partial or complete from a plant part, for example, by taking parts of a leaf, root, stem, seed, bean, nut, or kernel. In this case, plant cells are taken from leaf 2 of coffee plant 1. It is also possible to extract endosperm from a bean.

[0057] In a second step 102, the plant cells of the explant are placed in a nutrient medium 3 and grown into a callus using common techniques.

[0058] A callus is a complex of plant cells that develops from the aforementioned explant, which was previously taken from a living plant, such as a coffee plant. Since the cells of a callus arise through mitosis, they should not differ genetically.

[0059] Callus cultivation is independent of the plant's natural growing environment. The nutrient medium can be a solution or a substrate containing sucrose, inorganic salts, vitamins, proteins, and / or growth regulators, as well as hormones if necessary. Auxins and / or cytokines are preferably used as growth regulators to ensure cell growth.

[0060] The callus consists of cells that are transferred into new blood vessels, leading to accelerated cell proliferation. The cells are formed as somaclones, although this does not preclude natural genetic modifications.

[0061] In a third step, cultivation takes place in a liquid culture. For this, a defined quantity of callus is converted into a suspension in a defined quantity of a medium. The suspension medium can have a preset sugar content and / or a defined pH value. The culture medium can be prepared based on established products. The cultivation conditions can be adjusted by shaking, stirring, setting a temperature for the suspension, and / or introducing a minimum amount of light, oxygen, and / or air. The cells can be transferred from one culture medium to another, e.g., in time-defined passages, or the components of the culture medium can be checked several times and adjusted depending on cell growth. The third step can also include growth monitoring.The composition, particularly the biochemical composition, of the cell culture suspension is analyzed using suitable methods and compared with the composition of the explant. This type of quality control allows verification of whether the composition of the cell culture corresponds to that of the explant, or whether one or more desired components are even present in higher concentrations than in the explant due to specifically adjusted cultivation conditions.

[0062] In a fourth step, a malleable mass, hereinafter also referred to as bioink, is prepared for printing a three-dimensional structure in the form of a bean, a nut, a kernel, and / or a plant seed. In the context of the following description, the term bioink refers not only to printing processes but also to other shaping processes, particularly casting processes.

[0063] In a first step 104-1, the cultured cell material from the liquid culture is isolated and / or concentrated, e.g., by filtration. Filtration is preferably carried out by membrane filtration. However, other filtration techniques are also possible. Filtration under normal pressure, under slight negative pressure above 100 mbar on the filtrate side, or under positive pressure of less than 5 bar on the retentate side is also preferred. This prevents the cells from being destroyed.

[0064] The concentrated cell material, as a retentate, can advantageously also be present as callus. The bioink 104-2 is then produced by mixing the concentrated cell material with a suitable hydrogel.

[0065] Preferably, the hydrogel comprises a gelling agent of plant origin.

[0066] A hydrogel can include or consist of one or more of the following compounds as gelling agents: pectin, gelatin, agarose, gelatin-methacrylol (GelMA), collagen, extracellular matrix (ECM), agar, and / or alginate. Chitosan can also be used as a base for a hydrogel. Other preferred compounds for the formation of hydrogels or as ingredients of a hydrogel are chitosan, cellulose, especially nanocellulose, fibrin, fibrinogen, graphene, hyaluronic acid, and / or hydroxyapatite.

[0067] Particularly preferred gelling agents for the present invention are pectin, alginate, and / or agarose. Agarose is a polysaccharide obtained from seagrass and other aquatic plants. Pectins are polysaccharides obtained from apples, citrus fruits, and / or beets.

[0068] Within the hydrogel, the cell material, or the callus formed from it, can mature further. The water bound in the hydrogel enables the cell material to be supplied with nutrients.

[0069] The hydrogel matrix used to encapsulate the cell material also enables shaping. Preliminary tests confirmed the feasibility of shaping the hydrogel into a bean shape for pectin and agarose. Shaping 105 constitutes the fifth step of the process according to the invention. It comprises casting and / or a gelation mechanism followed by a drying mechanism. Alternatively, shaping can also be achieved by compression, analogous to a tableting process. Casting can be implemented, for example, using an injection molding process. Alternatively, a screen printing or stencil printing process can be used. Injection molding under intense material heating, as in the injection molding of thermoplastics, is possible with thermally very resistant cell material, but is less preferred in most cases due to the risk of damaging the living cell material.Therefore, pressure and / or temperature monitoring is recommended during the shaping process.

[0070] As mentioned earlier, bioprinting is another alternative to casting. 3D bioprinting can be achieved using a machine that incorporates shaping processes such as extrusion-based, light-based, and / or droplet-based methods, and / or screen printing.

[0071] A stencil printing process is also preferred. The screen printing process is characterized by the use of a mesh held by a frame. In the stencil printing process, a plate, e.g., made of metal, is used, into which openings are made, e.g., using a laser.

[0072] During printing, the material is forced into a shape by the plate or fabric.

[0073] Individual printing parameters, such as output quantity per unit of time, medium temperature and / or nozzle pressure, can be adjusted within the printing process, especially the 3D bioprinting process, particularly depending on the material used, e.g., the concentration of cell material in the matrix material.

[0074] Other adjustable printing parameters, depending on the chosen printing technique, include screen thickness, mesh size, plate opening width, plate material thickness, plate material type (e.g., metal or plastic), thread thickness, doctor blade speed, and doctor blade and / or screen lift height. These parameters can also be adjusted to the bio-ink composition.

[0075] A screen printing process is particularly preferred for shaping a bean, a kernel, a nut, a plant seed, and especially a coffee bean 108. However, other processes such as gravure printing, flexographic printing, and inkjet printing, especially those based on the dispensing of bio-ink from micro-valves, are also possible.

[0076] Another process parameter that can be adjusted within the framework of the inventive method is the substrate on which the shaping takes place. The substrate can have functionalized surfaces. The functionalized surface has a defined surface roughness and / or a degree of wettability adjusted to the applied material. The surface can thus be, for example, hydrophilic or hydrophobic. The functionalization of the surface can be achieved by physical surface treatment, e.g., plasma treatment, or alternatively by a coating applied to a substrate body. A preferred process speed for shaping is more than 0.1 m / s, preferably 2.0 m / s. In the case of a printing process, the process speed corresponds to the feed rate, which is preferably continuous. In the case of a casting process, the process speed corresponds to a cycle time.

[0077] Curing, particularly in 3D bioprinting, is preferably achieved through crosslinking. This can involve physical or chemical crosslinking. Physical crosslinking includes, among other things, thermal crosslinking mechanisms, ionic bonds, and entanglements (e.g., through the formation of hydrogen bonds). Chemical crosslinking involves the formation of covalent bonds, which can be created, for example, using wet chemical or light-induced processes. Curing gives the material a mechanically stable shape.

[0078] An extruder associated with the machine builds shapes from the hydrogel matrix material by introducing the matrix material into so-called mold cavities in a mold plate. The hydrogel structure can harden during and / or after the forming process through cross-linking, e.g., through light-, pressure-, ionically, and / or heat-induced post-curing.

[0079] This hydrogel material thus enables the encapsulation of plant cells or callus and their formation into a coffee bean. The resulting bean has a very hard shape.

[0080] In a sixth step, post-processing can take place.

[0081] Post-processing 106 can comprise several sub-steps.

[0082] One step in the post-processing 106 process can, for example, include a second cultivation 106-1. This can be carried out under controlled conditions, in particular by adjusting temperature, light, and humidity, using a bioreactor. The second cultivation 106-1 allows for the development of a variety-specific flavor, in the case of coffee, a variety-specific coffee aroma. When preparing coffee beans using the conventional method, a mucilage layer must be removed. For this purpose, coffee beans are fermented in fermentation tanks at a defined temperature and humidity for 16-36 hours. This lengthy process step can be advantageously omitted in the present method. Alternatively, it is possible to carry out an optional fermentation, preferably a fermentation in less than 12 hours, to develop an aroma profile.Such flavor-forming fermentation can be achieved by selecting a yeast culture, enzymes and / or bacterial culture depending on the composition of the bio-ink.

[0083] Alternatively or additionally, a further drying step (106-2) can be carried out. In particular, the post-ripening coffee beans can be dried. The drying can take place at a preferred temperature between 35 and 45°C. In a preferred embodiment of the process, drying can be carried out using resistance heating elements, infrared heating, and / or circulating air drying.

[0084] Alternatively or additionally, a further post-processing step can involve roasting 106-3 directly of the beans, nuts, kernels, and / or plant seeds provided in step 105, or preferably, in the case of coffee beans, of the post-ripened or, more preferably, dried and post-ripened coffee beans. The roasting can preferably take place at a suitable temperature, e.g., 180–220°C, more preferably 195–205°C. The roasting time can preferably be less than 20 minutes, more preferably between 6 and 10 minutes. Air cooling can then be carried out.

[0085] In the case of coffee beans, the roasted beans then represent the final product, which can be packaged and, if necessary, aroma-sealed before being sold.

[0086] The end customer can then choose various preparation methods for the coffee beans, e.g., for direct consumption, coated in chocolate, or as a decorative material for desserts and confectionery, or for grinding into coffee powder in a fully automatic coffee machine or a small grinder, e.g., for preparation in portafilter machines. However, these steps are no longer part of the process. The end product is packaged coffee beans and the other coarse-grained products mentioned above, as distinct from powdered material.

[0087] The biotechnologically produced hard coffee beans are thus made, among other things, from plant material of a coffee plant, but not as the fruit of a plant after completion of the entire growth cycle, but from parts of the plant which are obtained well before the formation of the fruit under natural conditions.

[0088] However, cells from the fruit of the respective plant, i.e., the coffee bean, can also be used as the basis for a cell culture. This cell material is multiplied through callus formation, so that a single coffee bean can yield a large number of biotechnologically produced coffee beans, consisting entirely of plant-derived material.

[0089] The method according to the invention thus relates to the growing field of so-called cellular agriculture, which makes an important contribution to combating the causes and consequences of global climate change.

[0090] The vast majority of processes in this field, however, serve to provide powdered products or cell material. Immobilizing cell material produced in cellular agriculture, which can then mature further after immobilization, is a novel approach and not previously known.

[0091] The product can consist exclusively of materials of plant origin.

[0092] As can be seen from the context of the preceding description, the described product represents a substitute product for the food industry. Its form preferably corresponds to beans, kernels, seeds and / or nuts, as it is produced from cells of the corresponding plants and in a similar shape and hardness to the natural product.

[0093] The aim is not to use these products as viable propagation material in agriculture. Instead, further processing similar to that of the natural products, such as roasting, should be made possible, thereby achieving comparable properties, for example in taste, through a different behavior of the formed products compared to individual cells, cell clusters, or powders.

[0094] Coffee beans produced using a molding process are a substitute for commercially available coffee beans. The term "bean" in this context refers only to the shape of the substitute product.

[0095] However, other shapes that can be printed or cast are also available. The bean shape is currently chosen because in this form the product can best be compared to a green, naturally grown coffee bean.

[0096] Green, natural coffee beans have a complex structure. Among other things, they are also capable of germination. The substitute product does not possess these structures. This is illustrated by a comparison using Fig. 2. The substitute product has a colored gel body, while in natural coffee beans, further structures such as the silverskin are visible.

[0097] A bean-shaped substitute product is produced, consisting entirely of one or a few cell types. This means that all cells in the bean can be traced back to one or a few cell types. Therefore, the focus is solely on flavor; the printed bean is not viable. Since the substitute product is subsequently roasted, it is used only as a coffee substitute and can be used whole or ground by the consumer. The development of a specific flavor profile is the stated goal of this substitute product.

[0098] Example implementation:

[0099] The manufacturing process can be described in practical application as follows:

[0100] Coffee plant explants are incubated on a medium thickened with agarose and containing plant growth hormones. Callus tissue develops at the edges of the explants. This tissue is removed and placed on fresh medium. Once sufficiently large, the callus is transferred to a liquid medium of the same composition and cultivated while being shaken.

[0101] In the specific embodiment presented, curing takes place in so-called lost-wax molds. These lost-wax molds are made from 2% agarose with 100 mM CaCl2.

[0102] Into this, a 1:1 mixture of the plant cells separated from the medium is poured with medium containing 1.5% alginate and 1.5% methylcellulose (all values ​​as wt.%).

[0103] Alternatively, the material is so stable that it can be printed and cured layer by layer using the chosen method. For example, in a 3D print, 11 layers of equal thickness can be printed on top of each other until the target dimension is reached.

[0104] After demolding from the molds or printing, the bean-shaped, plant cell-containing gel structures are dried under controlled conditions at 105 °C for 2 hours, so that the shape is retained in a smaller size.

[0105] Thus, a substitute product can be obtained that is comparable to the natural product in shape and hardness, and at the same time consists of cells from the original plant from which the natural product originates.

[0106] As a distinguishing feature from the natural product, all cells within the product consist of one or a few cell types, preferably three or fewer. Furthermore, there are no or only a few cell layers and / or structural features. Overall, the artificial product is formed without a plant embryo (see Fig. 2).

[0107] Another component is hydrogel, possibly in partially dried form.

[0108] The majority of the fill consists of genetically identical material. Furthermore, even after roasting the substitute product, sugar molecules from the hydrogel used may still be detectable, particularly with a content of at least 1% by weight.

[0109] In contrast to the aforementioned state of the art, the above-described process involves the embedding and hardening of callus material and the shaping as a replica of the original fruit, so that it can be further processed in the food sector analogously to conventionally produced seeds.

[0110] The shaping process therefore takes place before further processing steps, such as drying or roasting, in order to allow for a modified aroma development.

[0111] 101 Removal of an explant

[0112] 102 Growing a callus

[0113] 103 Cultivation in a liquid culture

[0114] 104 Provision of a malleable mass

[0115] 104-1 Isolation and / or concentration of the cultured cell material 104-2 Mixing the concentrated cell material with a hydrogel 105 Shaping

[0116] 106 Post-processing

[0117] 106-1 second cultivation

[0118] 106-2 Drying

[0119] 106-3 Roast

[0120] 107 roasted coffee beans

[0121] 108 shaped coffee beans

Claims

Claims 1. Granular bulk of a plurality of granular, in particular non-powdery, elements formed from plant cell material by shaping as foodstuffs, wherein each element of the bulk comprises immobilized plant cell material, characterized in that the entirety of the plant cell material of the bulk comprises somaclones distributed over several granular elements of the bulk, wherein at least 50% of all granular elements of the bulk are corresponding somaclones.

2. A bulk comprising a plurality of nuts, kernels, seeds and / or beans, in particular coffee beans (107, 108), of a plant, formed by shaping, in particular non-germinating. Each of the nuts, kernels, seeds and / or beans has immobilized plant cell material, characterized in that the entirety of the plant cell material of the nuts, kernels, seeds and / or beans comprises somaclones distributed among several nuts, kernels, seeds and / or beans.

3. Granular packing or packing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the immobilized plant cell material comprises a plurality of living cells, in particular a callus capable of maturation.

4. Granular bulk or bulk according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the bulk consists of roasted coffee beans (107).

5. Granular bulk material according to one of the preceding claims 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that the bulk material is composed of more than 50%, preferably 80%, granular elements with an average grain size of more than 2 mm as equivalent diameter.

6. Bulk according to one of the preceding claims 2-4, characterized in that the bulk comprises a plurality of coffee beans (107, 108) formed by shaping from a coffee plant, wherein each of the coffee beans has immobilized plant cell material, wherein the totality of the plant cell material of the bulk of shaped coffee beans comprises soma clones distributed over several coffee beans.

7. Method for producing a nut, a kernel, a plant seed, and / or a bean, in particular a coffee bean (107, 108), of a plant comprising an immobilized plant-derived cell-cultured cell material and / or a granular bulk material according to claim 1, characterized by the following steps: I Removal of an explant (101) of a plant that produces a nut, kernel, seed or bean; II. Multiplication of the cell material of the explant, preferably by cultivating a callus (102) from the explant; III Conversion of a portion of the multiplied living cell material into a hydrogel forming a malleable mass (104) comprising the living cell material and IV Shaping (105) the malleable mass into a nut, kernel, plant seed or bean of the plant of step I and / or into a granular grout according to claim 1 having the taste of a nut, kernel, plant seed or bean of the plant of step I, preferably in processed form 8. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the multiplication of the cell material comprises growing a callus (102) in a nutrient medium and cultivating the callus or part of the callus in a liquid culture (103).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hydrogel is a plant-based and / or protein-based hydrogel, which particularly preferably consists exclusively of plant ingredients and water.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hydrogel comprises or consists of agarose, agar, alginate, chitosan, collagen and / or pectin.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shaping (105) is carried out by a casting process, preferably an injection molding process, or a printing process, preferably a screen printing process, a stencil printing process or a 3D bioprinting process.

12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises at least a measurement of the produced coffee bean (107, 108) and an adjustment of the propagation conditions in step II and / or an adjustment of the ratio between cell material and hydrogel to form the malleable mass in step III.

13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises a post-processing step (106), wherein the post-processing step comprises a second cultivation step (106-1), in particular a post-ripening step, and / or a drying step and / or a roasting step.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second cultivation (106-1) is a fermentation to adjust an aroma profile.

15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the concentration of ingredients, in particular of flavorings, of the matured, dried and roasted coffee beans (107) is determined and that the process parameters of steps II and III are adjusted on the basis of the measured values ​​obtained.

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