Meat lovers in the United States are poised for a special meat experience as a key regulator gave a cultivated meat company the go-ahead to offer its products in some restaurants.
Although it’s too early for this product to reach supermarket shelves, many are happy to see the stuff of science fiction literally on a plate.
Cultivated meat is derived from a small sample of cells collected from livestock. The cells are fed nutrients, grown in enormous steel vessels called bioreactors, and processed into something that looks and tastes like real meat.
For years, research in this field has been in tandem with efforts for a diversified global food portfolio of traditional, plant-based, and alternative protein products. It’s also an attempt to meet the growing demand for meat in the world which is expected to grow by 73 per cent by 2050.
Promoters of cultivated meat claim that it can relieve the environment of a significant share of pressures and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. About one quarter of the planet’s ice-free land is used for livestock grazing. One-third of all croplands is for animal feed. According to statistics from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), livestock supply chains are responsible for an estimated 7 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent per year — 15 per cent of all anthropogenic GHG emissions.
Cultivated meat is also a dream come true for animal rights activists and vegetarians, who can secure their protein needs without harming animals. Scientists say meat cultivation technology will mean the end of animal suffering and a huge cut greenhouse gas emissions while reducing the use of antibiotics and the risk of disease transmitted by animals. They also dream of new flavours and cheaper meat.
However, the meat cultivation industry is unable to make mass production cost-effective. One kilo of this meat would be far more expensive than the real thing.
Another challenge for the industry is gaining customer trust. Many consider artificial meat as unnatural and disgusting. Cultivated meat is reminiscent of the furore over genetically modified — Frankenstein — foods of the late Nineties.
Companies should be honest about the ingredients in their new product and offer the consumer a popular taste.
Opponents to lab-grown meat warn against millions of farmers will be out of business should the artificial stuff become affordable.
Some experts doubt the claim about saving the environment. Large-scale production of such products can cause equal harm if it depends on fossil fuels, they say. Mass produced cultivated meat may put pressure on the pharmaceutical and vaccine industries as they use the same technology and materials.
Even so, the shift to lab-grown meat is thought to be inevitable. And we will have to brace ourselves for record-breaking obesity figures if the barcodes pip a nice price.
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