Meat is one of the most important sources of protein in our everyday lives. Meat products are among the biggest categories in the food industry. However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in the sector. A growing number of people aim to reduce their environmental footprint by reducing their meat consumption. That has created a new niche market in the meat sector – sustainable meat. Cultured meat is among the latest trends in the sector. It’s slaughter-free meat that is not plant-based. Instead, it’s made from cultivated animal cells. In this article, we’ll share more details about lab-grown meat and its role in the future food industry. This post is part of our series on meat products. Check out our blogs on how to start a meat business or the role of meat in restaurants.
Key takeaway: Cultured meat is also known as lab-grown meat or cultivated meat. It’s made in a laboratory environment from animal cells. Currently, the supply of cultured meat is very limited as its development requires a lot of time and there are regulatory barriers to its sales. It’s expected to grow in popularity in the upcoming years, especially in developing countries like the US.
What Is Cultured Meat
Cultured meat is also known as cultivated meat or lab-grown meat. It is made by culturing animal cells in laboratories with the help of tissue engineering techniques and regenerative medicine. The process was first introduced in the early 2000s. In 2013, the first hamburger patty from cultured meat was made.
The industry of cultured meat is still very young. In fact, there are only a handful of companies in the world that invest in research and development of lab-grown meat products. Cultivated meat is still not a product that can be easily bought on the market. A handful of businesses in the restaurant industry have served meals with lab-grown meat products. The sector also sees various regulatory obstacles. As it is a novel food, cultured meat is subject to more strict regulations and needs to go through a testing period before entering the market.
Is Cultured Meat Vegan?
There’s no definitive answer as to whether cultivated meat products are vegan or not. Some vegans are likely to refrain from consumption of lab-grown meat as it is still obtained from animal cells. On the other hand, it is a slaughter-free meat product and some vegans might be willing to eat it. As it is not plant-based, lab-grown meat is significantly closer to actual meat compared to current vegan meat alternatives in terms of flavor, texture, and nutritional value.
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Cultured Meat: Disadvantages and Benefits
There are both pros and cons to cultivated meat. Some say that these products will become the future of the meat industry and they can help in the fight against climate change. Others are more skeptical about this sector and say that cultured meat is unlikely to make a drastic change in the food industry. Business owners should follow the development of the lab-grown meat industry and adapt based on the trends in the market. Let’s examine some of the benefits and disadvantages of cultured meat.
Benefits of Cultured Meat
- Impact on animal welfare. Production of cultivated meat doesn’t include any animal killing. Instead, only a few cells of their bodies are used to start the process.
- Environmental impact. The livestock agriculture industry is among the biggest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions. Production of cultured meat has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the process requires far less land and water.
- Positive effect on antibiotic resistance. Cultured meat is created in a controlled and sterile environment. Therefore, there’s a reduced risk of contamination and no need for antibiotics.
- Future potential. The development of cultured meat has been a thing for the past 10 years. During that period, a lot has been achieved and the potential of the sector is extraordinary. It won’t be surprising if, by the end of the century, the majority of meat inventory in grocery stores comes from laboratories. Meat cultivation can potentially be used to create bulk deli meats.
Disadvantages of Cultured Meat
- High production costs. Currently, there are only a handful of companies that produce and sell cultured meat. As such, its price is high and its supply is low. In addition, the process is still being optimized and it will take time for cultivated meat to reach parity with products from the meat processing industry. Restaurant managers who wish to include cultured meat in their menus or use it as part of a restaurant’s marketing strategy need to keep in mind that it’s still a scarce commodity. In the upcoming years, the wholesale price of cultured meat is expected to be around 20 dollars per pound.
- Regulatory barriers. Companies that wish to sell lab-grown meat need FDA and USDA approval before launching their products. That can be a lengthy process. Each state and country around the world is expected to have different regulations on cultured meat products.
- Consumer perception. Many customers see cultivated meat as an unsafe and unnatural product. They might be hesitant to eat lab-grown meat products instead of regular ones.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cultured Meat
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How Is Cultured Meat Created?
Cultivated meat is created by taking a biopsy from an animal and nurturing the cells in order for them to multiply. The complexity of the process comes from the fact that both fat and muscle cells need to be cultivated. The muscle cells also need to be exercised in order for them to bind better. The process also requires various nutrients that help cells grow and divide and the right laboratory equipment. Currently, there are only a few companies in the world that create cultured meat. However, with growing demand for vegan meat and new opportunities to sell meat online, lab-grown meat is likely to become a major component of the global meat market.
Is Cultivated Meat Legal?
Cultured meat has been approved for sale in the US In June 2023. However, there are states that have banned it. Florida and Alabama were the first states to ban sales of cultivated meat and seafood. As lab-grown meat is one of the latest meat trends, the regulations towards it might change in the near future. Wholesale meat distributors and restaurants that wish to offer cultured meat need to be aware of the regulations regarding this type of meat. Several European countries like Italy and Greece have also banned sales of lab-grown meat.
Is Cultivated Meat the Future?
According to many, the research and progress made in the field of growing meat in laboratories will help the sector overcome the disadvantages of cultured meat and be competitive with livestock agriculture meat. However, at the moment cultured lab-grown meat is still very expensive and slow to produce. Therefore, even if it is the future of the meat industry, it is certainly not going to have a major market share in the next one or two decades. Nevertheless, people who are willing to purchase slaughter-free meat products help grow the cultured meat sector. The growing retail and B2B sales will help develop better and more affordable lab-grown meat products.