Lab-grown food is being hailed by proponents as the answer to some of the negative aspects that come along with modern agriculture and food production. But how does it work, and what are the pros and cons to the process?
Lab-grown food is being hailed by proponents as the answer to some of the negative aspects that come along with modern agriculture and food production — from the poor treatment of animals to the emission of greenhouse gases.
Cell-cultivated products refer to foods that are made from cells of plants or animals.
Cells for meat are taken from animal tissue and cultivated in a nutrient-rich solution. These cells grow and are eventually put in a bioreactor, which are effectively huge tanks that help to speed up cell growth. Eventually, the cells are separated into muscle, fat and connective tissues, the three main components of meat.
Then, a process called “scaffolding” is carried out. This is the process of trying to turn the cells into something that resembles food, like a steak or burger.
Lab-grown food is being looked at as a way to reduce the pollution caused by food production. Various estimates suggest around 25% to 30% of global emissions come from food systems.
Meanwhile, lab-grown meat can be produced without having to raise and slaughter animals, which proponents say is a positive.
Mark Post and his team at Maastricht University were the first to produce a lab-grown burger in 2013.
Some of the challenges include scaling the production of lab-grown meat, the current high prices of the products and consumer acceptance.
Regulators globally are getting on board with the idea of lab-grown food. Singapore was the first country to approve cultured meat for human consumption in 2020. U.K. regulators approved the use of lab-grown meat in pet food this year.
Watch the video above to learn more how lab-grown food is made.