by Nate Widom
What if meat could be produced using only a fraction of the needed resources and no animals lost their lives? Several companies have made it their mission to develop these idealistic, cruelty-free meat products through scientific means. A few have succeeded in the scientific breakthrough and sell their meat exclusively in a few international markets.
Recently, the fun has arrived in America. California companies Upside Foods and GOOD Meat had their lab-grown chicken products approved by the FDA in November 2022 and June 2023 respectively. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved them, too. Now, the companies can sell that lab-grown (or “cultivated”) chicken to the American public.1 While we may be able to try cultivated meat soon, is it feasible, worth the trouble, and the way of the future?
First, we should establish how these cultivated meats are made. According to WebMD, scientists extract stem cells from an animal and place them in a broth of nutrients which helps them duplicate. They are then placed into a bioreactor where the actual growing takes place. Once ready, companies will use differing methods to texture the meat. Scientists can adjust meat’s fat and cholesterol amounts, but research is needed to show how these lab-grown products may affect nutrition and health more broadly.
In addition to being touted as much more environmentally friendly and cruelty-free, lab-grown meats are less likely to contain E. coli, can curb antibiotic resistance, and have fewer antibiotics.2
Why do we need alternatives to traditional meat farming?
Scientists wouldn’t be scrambling to create meat in a lab if there weren’t issues in how we traditionally farm meat. As it turns out, how we tend to livestock is problematic and may not be sustainable.
According to the University of British Columbia, livestock farming is one of the biggest emitters of methane, a particularly damaging greenhouse gas. Unfortunately, methane is far more harmful than CO2 and has an 86 times higher global warming potential when measured over a twenty-year time frame. Furthermore, 80-90% of water in America is used for agriculture, and meat and dairy products require much more water to produce than plant-based foods.3
While early studies projected cultivated meat to be better for the environment, more recent research is inconclusive. A 2011 Oxford and University of Amsterdam study found that cultivated meat takes 7-45% less energy to produce than an identical volume of pork, sheep, or beef. Compared to poultry, it requires more energy but much less land and water. According to the lead researcher Hanna Tuomisto, cultivated meat could require up to 99% lower land use, 96% lower greenhouse gas emissions, and 45% less energy.4 However, a 2022 review found “no consensus on the health and nutritional qualities of ‘cultured meat’ for human consumption and on its potential low environmental impact.”5 Another 2022 study came to a similar conclusion—more research and development is needed.6
There’s a long way to go
While these cultivated meats have passed many regulatory consumption tests, are they really practical? The first lab-grown hamburger was created in 2013 and cost over $300k to make. Ivy Farm, another cultivated food company, claims it can produce something similar for under $50.7 Still, that’s quite a bit of money for a burger. In 2021, Israeli company Future Meat Technologies opened a large production facility that can produce over 1000 pounds of lab-grown meats a day. They even claim to produce a 4 oz. cultivated chicken breast for $3.90.8
However, many companies still have a ways to go. In June 2023, the BBC examined the products of Eat Just, another California-based cultivated meat company. The company has been selling its product at Huber’s Butchery and Bistro in Singapore since December 2020—the world’s first restaurant selling cultivated meat to the public. The eatery produces 4,000-5,000kg of conventional chicken weekly, while they can only produce 3kg of cultivated chicken weekly.9 While they plan to utilize equipment to improve production, the issue still plagues the industry.
Additionally, the entire production practice may need to be overhauled for long-term success. According to CNN, cultivated meat is currently produced using pharmaceutical-grade tools and techniques; the materials and equipment required are like those used to make medicine and vaccines.7 This is not only costly, but some studies suggest that it may work against the goal of reducing environmental impact.
Researchers in a 2023 UC Davis study examined the effects of producing beef in this pharmaceutical-like process. They found the carbon dioxide equivalent for each kilogram of meat produced is much more significant and will impact global warming 4 to 25 times more than traditional beef. But, if the growing cultivated meat industry can adopt their process to reduce energy consumption and incorporate food-grade ingredients over their pharmaceutical-grade counterparts, the global warming effect could be anywhere from 80% lower to 26% higher than that of the existing beef industry.10 While this specific study is referenced widely in the media, it needs to be peer-reviewed and focuses on cultivated beef only.
Is this even worth it?
While efficient mass production of these meats is a goal, some believe this venture misses its point. Cultured meat is still highly processed, and some suggest that producing livestock more humanely and exploring meat alternatives are more effective for the environment.
The New York Post reports that 67% of Americans are willing to try cultured meat, while 58% are willing to try plant-based options, including tofu and tempeh.11
Furthermore, cultivated meats may not appeal to the vegan population. If we follow the definition, vegan diets shall not include any products that are derived from animals. Therefore, because lab-grown meat requires animal stem cells, it isn’t technically vegan. However, many people who eat a vegan diet do so because of the ethics surrounding the slaughtering of animals and the environmental costs of growing meat. If lab-grown meat becomes common in the future, many people who normally abstain from eating meat may find themselves weighing the pros and cons to determine whether these new options are right
for them.
Regardless, while many of the kinks for lab-grown meat are yet to be worked out, its prevalence is still projected to grow. By 2035, Businesswire projects the industry will grow to just under $2 billion. They attribute the expansion to technological advancements, increased investments, and more interest in animal welfare. However, the demand for plant-based protein, an increasing vegan population, and other factors will likely be setbacks for industry growth.12
Want to try some lab-grown meat?
GOOD Meat serves their lab-grown chicken at the China Chilcano restaurant in Washington, D.C.1 If you can snag a reservation, you can try the “GOOD Chicken Tasting Menu Experience” for $70. It includes a series of Peruvian dishes, including the GOOD Chicken served with “anticucho sauce, native potatoes, and ají Amarillo chimichurri.”13 The cultivated chicken from UPSIDE Foods is served at Bar Crenn, an upscale restaurant in San Francisco.1
In conclusion
Creating meat in a lab suitable for human consumption is a scientific feat that we must celebrate. However, creating a system that allows this meat to be produced efficiently and ethically for the masses has yet to be achieved. Until companies reach this point, cultivated meat saving the world and turning the current livestock industry on its head will be a dream—not a reality.
