The first lab-grown meat was just recently approved for human consumption in Singapore. This is a big deal, especially exciting for the San Francisco based company “Eat Just” – the first ones to get it to market. You may also know lab-grown meat by its more official title, cultured meat or by other descriptive terms such as “no-kill” or “no-slaughter” meat, poultry and seafood. Eat Just has now successfully produced chicken nuggets or “chicken bites” from lab grown chicken and this is the product that got regulatory approval recently for sale in Singapore.
Eat Just’s ‘chicken bites’
What is Cultured Meat? This is a form of cellular agriculture produced by in vitro cell culture of animal cells and definitely one of the “future foods.” Very simply, here’s how it is made. Scientists “first do a biopsy on an animal to extract cells. These cells are then placed into a nutrient-rich broth (plant-based) and “grown” in a bioreactor that provides the optimal conditions for cellular growth causing the cells to multiply. As the cells continue to grow, they form meat. And biologically, this meat is the exact same meat harvested from an animal in the traditional way.” The only difference is that no animal is slaughtered – it’s all done in a lab. When enough “cultured meat” is grown it can be collected and formed into a final looking product, more representative of the real meat or chicken.
What makes it appealing? It’s a great alternative for people who are vegetarian but still like and crave meat or poultry products. In fact, lab-grown meats are healthier than most of the plant-based meat substitutes that contain other flavoring and chemicals to make them taste and look like the real thing. It is also happily received by those who are against animal slaughter and support climate control since no animals are harmed in the cultured meat process – only a biopsy is done. “It is well known that cutting meat consumption is vital in tackling the climate crisis. Some scientists believe this is the best single environmental action a person can take. Meat cultivated in bioreactors also avoids the issues of bacterial contamination from animal waste and the overuse of antibiotics and hormones in animals.”
The biggest challenges?
The first is the expense to produce this product – it’s definitely out of most budgets at retail level costing hundreds of dollars per pound to produce. But you can be sure with the expertise and progress of other players in this market and as production scales up that the prices will become more affordable in the future. Several big companies like Memphis Meats (backed by Richard Branson and Bill Gates – Tyson Foods and Cargill are also invested in Memphis Meats), Blue Nalu, Mosa Meat, Aleph Farms and Finless Foods are all working hard in this arena and there will be more! supermeat.comis another player in Israel who is testing crispy cultured chicken. Be sure to read Oliver Homes article as he experiences a no-kill chicken burger at the restaurant “Chicken” in Tel Aviv. You can even watch the production of the cultured poultry right on site at the restaurant.
No-kill chicken burger in Tel Aviv
Secondly is the need to get regulatory approval in other countries throughout the world.
Thirdly is consumer acceptance especially by traditional meat-lovers. Will it meet their critical review with regard to taste and texture? And what about the ranchers and farmers?
Will you eat lab-grown meat? As a vegetarian for over 45 years, I’m looking forward to trying it when Covid-19 is over, and I can jump on a plane to Singapore or Israel. How about you?
