Resources and Links
Pixabay
https://www.labiotech.eu/in-depth/cultured-meat-industry/
https://gfi.org/science/the-science-of-cultivated-meat/
https://www.sciencealert.com/many-people-seem-disgusted-by-the-thought-of-eating-cultured-meat
https://earth911.com/business-policy/is-lab-grown-meat-sustainable/
When we think about lab grown meat, there are many questions, concerns and reservations we may have. Will our steak grown in a laboratory or factory resemble the one we had recently? Is this technology palatable or even is it safe? Firms including Mosa Meat, Memphis Meats and Eat Just are producing meat from cultured cells, and the technology is blossoming. The first approval of cultured-meat products was in Singapore in 2020 for chicken meat, and more is yet to come as the industry matures.
Lab grown meat, or cultured meat, is real meat. Animal cells are harvested and grown in a laboratory environment that spares the life of an animal that would have been raised for the harvesting of its meat. Animal muscle structures that we commonly eat including chicken breast, brisket and seafood can be grown themselves for consumption. The cultured meat industry has grown to almost half a billion dollars, and includes 60+ companies from the laboratory science, research, production and food science industries. This is a growing field with opportunities to expand and grow.
As a meat-eater, I am concerned with texture, quality and safety when it comes to meat. A big reservation I have is the quality and the impact the production process has on the environment. A big positive that comes from cultured meat is that animals no longer need to be raised for meat. Feed lots and production facilities with flocks of animals will in theory no longer be needed, and less methane will be produced. The cultured-meat industry is pitched as a “green” product that is also humane to production animals. The primary benefits are a reduction in animal product production waste, methane and land use. In essence, cultured-meat production may be an answer to the sustainability problem that comes from factory farming practices. Factory farms are energy intensive and produce a large amount of waste, with up to 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions and a substantial issue with water pollution.
Problems exist with lab-cultured meat, but they can be addressed. The problems come from waste produced as part of the manufacturing process and a hesitancy to eat the product, as it is perceived as being unnatural. During a recent study, 35% of meat eaters were hesitant to try cultured meat, as it was perceived to be “disgusting” and “unnatural”. We need to change the perception of cultured meat, and it is new. The downside of cultured-meat products also comes from the high cost of production, which is up to $3,800 per pound, but this is a stark improvement from 2013’s price of $300,000 per pound. The production technology is maturing, and consumer sentiment will change over time. Another problem is that sugar is required for the cells to grow and mature, so corn must be harvested and more land will be used for this purpose.
Despite its problems, cultured meat has promise. It can be safer, less energy-intensive and less wasteful than current meat-production methods. We need to improve the image of cultured meat, and make it more palatable. It is a technology to watch, and something we may be consuming and working with very soon.
Posted in Hive and Steemit
