Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown meat, is authentic animal meat produced by directly cultivating animal cells. This production method eliminates the need for raising livestock for food. Since cultivated meat is made from cells with the same structure as animal tissues, it retains the sensory and nutritional characteristics of conventional meat. Shifting consumption patterns from animal-based meat to cultivated meat can positively impact four major global issues: human health, climate change, natural resource limitations and animal welfare. Thus, the production of cultivated meat addresses more than just food production and meat consumption.
In 2013, Dutch scientist Mark Post presented the first hamburger made from cultivated meat on a live TV show. Two years later, four cultivated meat companies were established. Since its inception, the industry has grown to more than 150 companies worldwide by the end of 2022, with a total financial backing of $2.6 billion. Additionally, dozens of companies are working in areas such as cell culture, stem cell biology, tissue engineering, fermentation, chemical engineering, and biological processes to develop technological solutions. Hundreds of companies and academic laboratories globally are conducting research in these fields to create a new model for industrial-scale meat production.
How is Cultivated Meat Made?
The production process begins with obtaining and storing stem cells from an animal. These cells are then cultured in bioreactors (fermenters) at high densities and volumes. Similar to what occurs in animals, the cells are nourished by a cell culture medium rich in oxygen and essential nutrients, including amino acids, glucose, vitamins, minerals, growth factors, and other proteins.
Changes in the composition of the culture medium stimulate the immature cells to differentiate into muscle, fat, and connective tissues, which form the structure of meat. The differentiated cells are then harvested, processed, and packaged as final products. This process takes between 2 to 8 weeks, depending on the type of meat being cultivated. Some companies follow a similar strategy to produce milk and other animal products.
What Are the Benefits of Cultivated Meat?
Due to the more efficient nature of the production process, cultivated meat is expected to offer more advantages compared to conventional meat. Life cycle assessments in the coming years will show that cultivated meat uses significantly fewer natural resources compared to conventional meat, thus reducing agricultural pollution and water resource depletion. Studies have demonstrated that producing cultivated meat using renewable energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92% and land use by up to 90% when compared to conventional beef. Additionally, it is expected that commercial production will be entirely free from antibiotics, leading to fewer foodborne diseases due to the absence of intestinal pathogens.
It is predicted that in the coming decades, cultivated meats and other alternative proteins will capture a significant share of the $1.7 trillion market for conventional meat and seafood. This shift will reduce deforestation related to agriculture, biodiversity loss, antibiotic resistance, the spread of zoonotic diseases, and industrial animal slaughter.
When Will Cultivated Meat Enter the Market?
As of late 2022, several leading companies in cultivated meat production are equipping the necessary facilities at an experimental scale to introduce the first wave of commercialized products once regulatory approvals are in place. Singapore’s Food Agency approved the world’s first cultivated chicken product for sale in December 2020, and it is now available at several restaurants and food stalls. In November 2022, the American company UPSIDE Foods received pre-market consultation approval for its cultivated chicken product from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Other countries are in various stages of developing regulatory frameworks to allow the sale of cultivated meat.
Commercial production at a larger scale will require much larger facilities than those currently in operation. Scaling up involves addressing a series of complex challenges that affect production costs. These challenges span five key areas: cell culture lines, culture medium, bioprocess design, frameworks, and product finalization and characteristics.
Solving these challenges and advancing the cultivated meat industry requires significant funding from both public and private sectors. New programs, research centers, and educational initiatives for scientists, alongside policy-making and regulatory actions, will accelerate progress. This field also requires collaboration between biotech companies and cultivated meat firms. Many new job opportunities for talented scientists, entrepreneurs, and other value chain participants will emerge.
