Lab-grown meat is one of the hot trends in the global meat market. Unlike traditional vegan meat alternatives, it’s not plant-based. Instead, it’s made by culturing animal cells in laboratories with the help of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering techniques. As such, it has sprung various debates among vegans and people who consume meat. In the following paragraphs, we’ll try to shed some light on the benefits of cultured meat as well as the disadvantages. If you would like to read more about the meat industry, check out our blogs on the role of meat in restaurants and meat subscriptions.
Key takeaway: The main benefit of cultured meat is that it’s a cruelty-free product that has the potential to change the meat industry and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The development of lab-grown meat is a slow process. That’s why these products are not yet popular on the market.
What Is Cultured Meat
Various terms are used to describe cultured meat. The most common ones are lab-grown and cultivated meat. It's also called slaughter-free meat, in vitro meat, and cell-based meat. These products are done through tissue engineering that allows cells from animals to divide rapidly and form tissues. This is a relatively new field in science. As such, many of the disadvantages and benefits of cultured meat have not been subject to vast and long-term research.
There are very few companies in the world that are focused on the development of cultured meat products. That’s because the process requires significant investment in laboratory equipment and experienced professionals in regenerative medicine. In the US, sales of lab-grown meat products have been approved in 2023. However, it’s still a product with a very low supply and can’t be easily found in grocery stores.
Benefits of Cultured Meat
The main reason for the development of cultured meat is that the livestock production sector is responsible for a major share of greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are other benefits of cultured meat that have the potential to make it the most popular type of meat in the upcoming decades. Let’s examine the major ones.
- Animal welfare. The meat industry uses factory farming which is associated with poor animal conditions. That’s why a major advantage of lab-grown meat is that it tackles the problem of animal welfare. Furthermore, meat produced in laboratories is cruelty-free and doesn’t involve animal killing. The procedures used to obtain animal cells are minimally invasive.
- Impact on the environment. The development of the cultivated meat sector has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These meat products also require far less land, water, and energy per pound of meat produced. In the future, this niche market is expected to expand further. So it won’t be surprising if high-end cuts of beef or various bulk deli meat are made in laboratories.
- Marketing and business opportunities. As the cultured mead sector is still fairly young, there are multiple opportunities for entrepreneurs who are passionate about sustainability or animal welfare. People who are researching how to start a meat business should consider investing in cultured meat as it is considered by many to be the food of the future. Furthermore, restaurant managers of environmentally friendly establishments can further show their commitment to green policies by spreading the benefits of cultured meat and including such products in their menus. This is likely to help their restaurant’s marketing strategy.
- Health benefits. Cultivating meat gives scientists various options to improve the final product. For example, unhealthy fats can be replaced with healthy fatty acids. Lab-grown meat is also done in sterile laboratories and there is little to no chance of contamination or harmful bacterial growth.
Disadvantages of Cultured Meat
Besides the multiple benefits of cultured meat, there are disadvantages and concerns regarding lab-grown meat. Allow us to share some details about the main cons of cultivated meat.
- Health concerns. There’s not enough research on the long-term effects of lab-grown meat. There are some concerns regarding the exponential growth and multiplication of the cells in such meat products. It’s associated with cancer-promoting properties.
- High production costs. The creation of meat in laboratories requires large investments. That’s why lab-grown meat is more expensive compared to regular meat inventory. Businesses that sell meat products grown in laboratories aim to reduce their production costs but it’s a slow process.
- Negative perception. Business owners in the restaurant industry should know that many consumers might consider cultured meat to be an unnatural product and refrain from eating meals prepared with such ingredients. The sector needs to promote its products as safe and environmentally friendly in order to make them more acceptable to consumers.
- Regulatory barriers. Currently, only a few states in the US and a few European countries have banned cultured meat. However, as it becomes increasingly popular, new regulations regarding its safety and sales are likely to be introduced.
- Texture and flavor. Achieving the same flavor and texture as traditional meat products is a big challenge for the sector.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Benefits of Cultured Meat
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Is Cultured Meat Healthy?
There’s not enough research and data regarding the long-term effects of cultured meat. That’s why it’s still unclear whether lab-grown products are completely safe. Here are some of the known facts.
- Cultivated meat is developed in a sterile environment and away from microbes and contamination;
- A major benefit of cultured meat is that no antibiotics and growth hormones are used for its creation;
- Scientists are able to create designer meat – a product that has different nutritional values based on the diet or requirements of the consumer;
- The long-term effects of consuming cultured meat are yet to be discovered and researched.
Is Lab-Grown Meat Banned?
Sales of cultivated meat in the US have been approved by the Agriculture Department in June 2023. Despite the benefits of cultured meat, some states like Florida and Alabama have banned lab-grown meat. More states are expected to either ban or impose restrictions on sales and meat distribution of cultivated products. European countries like Italy and Greece have also started procedures and introduced legislation that will restrict sales of lab-grown meat. The main reason why cultured meat products are banned is that they have not been on the market long enough and there are uncertainties regarding their effects on health.
Is Cultivated Meat Vegan?
Cultured meat is not strictly speaking vegan. However, some vegans might still opt to consume lab-grown meat products. That’s because of the main benefit of cultured meat – it’s cruelty-free and the procedure to obtain cells from animals for its cultivation is minimally invasive. Nevertheless, lab-grown meat is still an animal-based product. As such, most vegetarians and vegans have a negative sentiment toward the consumption of cultured meat. As it’s a slaughter-free product, some vegans might consider promoting the benefits of cultured meat in order to help these products become an even bigger meat trend.