Phytanic acid and its metabolite pristanic acid are important branched chain fatty acids (BCFA), which display multiple positive health effects. However, humans can so far only obtain them through the consumption of dairy products, ruminant animal fats or certain fish. It’s not only humans, but mammalian cells in general that require these compounds and they are e.g. routinely used for induction of adipogenic differentiation in bovine precursors in cultured meat production.