The cultivated meat industry significantly boosted last month when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated Upside Foods’ chicken meat was safe to eat. The announcement was a watershed moment for an industry working to create cultivated versions of other proteins.
Cultivated meat
Meat that has been grown from animal cells is known as cultivated meat. It has the same cellular structure as traditional meat.
Companies take a sample of stem cells from an animal, usually via a biopsy from a live animal or a fertilized egg, and choose the ones they believe will produce the best taste or texture.
These cells are grown in vats kept at the proper temperature and contain amino acids, sugars, and other nutrients needed for cell growth. The cells form tissue, contributing to the meat’s chewy texture.
The method produces only meat, not whole animals with bones and nervous systems. After a few weeks, the cells are harvested and formed into consumer-recognizable shapes.
What’s the need?
Many people oppose the slaughter of animals for human consumption, which the cultivation process could significantly reduce. People who want to eat meat can do so without worrying about the welfare of animals raised in the conventional meat industry. Collecting the initial sample of cells does not permanently harm the animal.
There is also an environmental argument: proponents believe that producing cultivated meat and seafood will help feed more people while having a lower environmental impact because it will use less land and reduce air pollution.
Supporters also point out that growing meat in a controlled environment should reduce the need for antibiotics commonly given to livestock in response to antimicrobial resistance concerns and reduce foodborne diseases.
What does the Future look like?
Officials in the industry say the next challenge will be determining how to scale production, partly due to the scientific and technical difficulties involved in producing larger quantities of meat. In the United States, Upside’s cultivated chicken must still clear regulatory hurdles with the USDA, which supervises a portion of the process after the cells are harvested.
