How 'lab-grown' meat is made and will people accept it?

Summary

The transcript discusses the rise of 'cultivated meat,' a lab-grown alternative to traditional animal farming. Approved by the U.S. Agriculture Department, companies like Good Meat produce chicken from animal cells, eliminating the need for slaughter. Despite environmental and ethical benefits, challenges remain, such as high energy use and consumer reluctance. Experts argue that as technology improves, cultivated meat could significantly reduce land and water use. While some restaurants are already serving it, scaling up production will take time, much like the renewable energy transition. The future of food may depend on such innovations.

Takeaways

• 🍗 The U.S. Agriculture Department has approved the production of 'cultivated meat,' specifically chicken grown in a lab.
• 🧪 Cultivated meat is made from animal cells, grown without slaughtering animals, mimicking the natural growth process.
• 🍽️ The process involves growing animal stem cells in bioreactors, constantly feeding them nutrients to multiply into meat.
• 👨‍🍳 Chefs working with cultivated meat say it tastes just like regular chicken, helping to overcome consumer hesitation.
• 🌍 Meat production is a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions, and cultivated meat could offer a more sustainable alternative.
• 💡 However, some experts caution that cultivated meat may currently have a higher environmental impact in terms of energy use than traditional meat.
• 🔄 The technology is still evolving, with hopes that cultivated meat will eventually use less land, water, and resources.
• 📉 Cultivated meat faces skepticism, with polls showing many people are reluctant to try it because it sounds strange.
• 🍴 Only a few restaurants in the U.S. are currently serving cultivated meat, and scaling up production will be a long process.
• 🌱 Cultivated meat, like solar energy, is seen as an early-stage solution that could make a significant impact over time.

Q & A

What is cultivated meat and how is it produced?

Cultivated meat, such as the chicken produced at Good Meat, is grown in a lab from animal cells without harming animals. The cells are placed in bioreactors, where they are kept warm, nourished, and stirred to multiply, mimicking the natural growth of animals.

Why is there interest in cultivated meat?

Cultivated meat is seen as a solution to reduce the environmental and ethical concerns associated with traditional meat production. It offers real meat without the need to slaughter animals and could potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption.

What environmental benefits are expected from cultivated meat?

Cultivated meat has the potential to reduce the environmental impacts of meat production, such as deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption. It could also decrease the use of cropland for animal feed, as fewer animals would need to be raised.

What concerns are raised about the environmental impact of cultivated meat?

While cultivated meat could be more sustainable, some studies suggest that its production currently requires significant energy, particularly to feed the cells with glucose and amino acids, which could make its environmental impact higher than traditional farming in some cases.

What are the challenges in making cultivated meat widely available?

Scaling up the production of cultivated meat is one of the main challenges. Companies like Good Meat need to find ways to reduce production costs and increase output to a level that could meet global demand. Currently, production is limited, and only a few restaurants serve cultivated chicken.

How do people generally react to the idea of eating cultivated meat?

Many people are hesitant about eating cultivated meat because it seems unfamiliar or 'weird.' However, once they try it, they often find it tastes just like conventional meat. Convincing people to adopt it may require overcoming initial skepticism.

What role does cultivated meat play in addressing climate change?

Since conventional meat production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, cultivated meat offers a potential alternative that could significantly lower the environmental footprint of meat consumption, making it an important part of the strategy to combat climate change.

How does the taste of cultivated meat compare to traditional meat?

According to those who have tried cultivated chicken, such as the chef and William Brangham in the transcript, it tastes just like conventional chicken. The texture and flavor are described as nearly identical to what people are used to.

What is the current scale of cultivated meat production?

Cultivated meat production is still in its early stages, with companies like Good Meat only able to produce small amounts. They are working on scaling up, with the goal of eventually producing millions of pounds of meat annually, but this will take time and technological advancements.

How does cultivated meat differ from plant-based meat alternatives?

Unlike plant-based meat substitutes like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burgers, which are made entirely from plant ingredients, cultivated meat is real meat grown from animal cells. This allows it to replicate the exact taste and texture of conventional meat.