Innovations in Lab-Grown Meat: A Sustainable Future?
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In 2013, a groundbreaking lab-created burger was unveiled at a high-profile press event. Priced at £215,000 ($330,000 at the time), the burger, funded by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, elicited polite but lackluster feedback from tasters. One critic remarked it was "close to meat, but not that juicy."
This burger marked the beginning of cellular agriculture, a method that produces meat without the need for animal slaughter. This innovative technique cultivates muscle tissue from a small number of animal cells, which are nurtured in a bioreactor using a nutrient-rich broth.
Fast forward five years, and numerous startups are striving to deliver lab-grown meat that rivals the flavor and cost of conventional options. They are playing catch-up to the already established “plant-based” meat sector, with brands like Impossible Foods leading the charge. Their products, which mimic real meat's taste and texture, are available in over 5,000 restaurants and fast food outlets across the US and Asia, and are expected to hit grocery store shelves soon. The company employs advanced techniques such as gas chromatography to identify key flavor compounds released during cooking.
A critical component of Impossible’s formula is heme, an iron-rich molecule responsible for meat's distinctive color and taste. Rather than sourcing heme from meat, they utilize genetically modified yeast to create a plant-derived version.
Competitors like Beyond Meat use pea protein to replicate ground beef, finding success in major supermarket chains like Tesco and Whole Foods. Both Impossible and Beyond Meat launched new and enhanced burger versions in early January.
While no lab-grown meat startup has announced a commercial product launch date yet, the industry anticipates a breakthrough soon, potentially transforming the conventional meat market.
Isha Datar, director of New Harvest, believes that cultured meat can outperform plant-based proteins in flavor, nutrition, and functionality. The aim is to produce a product that even dedicated meat lovers would find appealing.
The Urgency for Change
The question arises: why pursue lab-grown meat? The answer lies in our unsustainable meat consumption patterns. Livestock farming contributes approximately 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It occupies a quarter of the planet's land and consumes a third of all cropland for animal feed. As the global population is projected to reach 10 billion, meat consumption could rise by 70% by 2050, leading to a potential 92% increase in greenhouse gases from food production.
A study in the Lancet labeled meat's negative impacts on the environment and public health as a "global risk." Further research in Nature emphasized the urgent need for dietary changes to prevent catastrophic damage to our natural resources.
“Without a shift towards more plant-based diets, we face significant climate challenges,” warns Marco Springmann, an environmental researcher at the University of Oxford.
On a positive note, consumer attitudes are evolving, with a Nielsen report indicating a 20% increase in sales of plant-based foods in 2018. While the number of vegans in the US remains stagnant at around 3%, there is a noticeable decline in meat consumption.
Legal Challenges Ahead
Investors are optimistic about this growing momentum. Startups like MosaMeat, Memphis Meats, Supermeat, Just, and Finless Foods are attracting substantial venture capital as they race to develop market-ready products.
Memphis Meats' Eric Schulze sees lab-grown meat as a complementary addition to the traditional meat industry, aiming to create a sustainable food future.
However, traditional meat organizations view this innovation with skepticism, labeling it "fake meat." In 2018, Missouri enacted a law restricting the labeling of alternative products as meat, a move that could lead to fines or imprisonment.
In response, the Good Food Institute, alongside organizations like Tofurky and the ACLU, is advocating for the repeal of this law, arguing that it infringes on free speech.
While the alternative-meat industry is preparing for an extended legal battle, the USDA and FDA have agreed to jointly oversee lab-grown meat regulation, which could shape the future of the industry.
Overcoming Technical Hurdles
Despite the enthusiasm, technical challenges remain. Many cultured-meat startups rely on fetal bovine serum (FBS), derived from pregnant cows during slaughter, raising ethical concerns. Additionally, FBS is costly, and startups must find ways to reduce or eliminate its use to keep production affordable.
Researchers like Datar emphasize the need for deeper understanding of agricultural animals at the cellular level to advance cultured meat technology. Efforts are underway, but significant scientific breakthroughs are necessary.
Another challenge is replicating meat's essential fat content, which contributes to flavor and texture. Although plant-based alternatives have made strides in this area, cultured meat still struggles with fat production.
Dutch startup Meatable is exploring innovative solutions by using pluripotent stem cells from calves’ umbilical cords, which can grow into various cell types, including fat. This method could allow for customizable fat content in lab-grown products, offering consumers options for their meat preferences.
Consumer Acceptance
Currently, lab-grown meat is not as environmentally friendly as one might hope. While it emits fewer greenhouse gases than beef, it still produces more emissions than chicken or plant-based options due to current energy requirements. A World Economic Forum study suggests lab-grown meat emits only about 7% less than beef, while alternatives like tofu can achieve reductions of up to 25%.
Concerns also persist about the health implications of lab-grown meat. Some studies link heme, present in both conventional and cultured meat, to increased cancer risk.
Nonetheless, consumer interest appears promising. Research indicates that many Americans are open to trying lab-grown meat, with a significant portion willing to incorporate it into their diets regularly.
Although a global shift to veganism is unlikely, embracing a flexitarian diet—largely plant-based with limited meat—could halve food production emissions and mitigate other adverse effects of the meat industry.
Recognizing these trends, some traditional meat companies are rebranding as "protein producers." Tyson Foods has invested in alternative-meat ventures, while Cargill has backed cultured-meat startup Memphis Meats.
As Tyson’s former CEO Tom Hayes noted, “If we can grow the meat without the animal, why wouldn’t we?”
By Niall Firth, news editor at MIT Technology Review, where he oversees online news and newsletters. Previously, he served as chief news editor at New Scientist and held roles as Technology Editor and Science & Tech Editor at MailOnline.