US approves sale of lab-grown meat
The US Department of Agriculture on Wednesday approved the sale of lab-grown meat in the country.
Upside Foods and Good Meat are the first two companies to complete the approval process. Last November, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had already deemed its lab-grown meat safe for consumption.
Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside Foods, described the approval as a “dream come true”, predicting it “marks a new era”.
“This approval will fundamentally change the way meat arrives at our table,” Valeti said in a statement. “It’s a giant step towards a more sustainable future – one that preserves choice and lives.”
What is lab-grown meat?
Unlike plant-based meat, lab-grown meat actually contains animal protein. But unlike traditional meat, it does not involve the slaughter of animals, leading its advocates to boast that it is an “ethical” alternative to meat.
It involves harvesting cells from a living animal or a fertilized cell, and then establishing a cell bank. The cells are then grown in steel tanks and fed nutrients similar to what the animals would consume.
The meat is then shaped into traditional cutlets such as fillet, nuggets or satay.
In 2020, Singapore granted Just Eat authorization to produce artificial meat.
Where would the meat be sold?
Despite US authorization, the availability of lab-grown meat for consumption by the average American is unlikely to happen overnight, largely because of the high cost of production.
Meanwhile, luxury restaurants have closed deals to use the meat in their establishments.
Upside said its first order was processed for Chef Dominique Crenn’s three-Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant, Bar Crenn, while Good Meat’s first batch will be sold to celebrity chef Jose Andres.
Is lab-grown meat environmentally friendly?
The industry was also met with enthusiasm from an environmental point of view.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, livestock production accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By default, lab-grown meat is considered an eco-friendly alternative.
However, yet-to-be-peer-reviewed research from the University of California last month suggested that the innovative meat may not be as good for the environment as once believed.
According to the research, the energy required and greenhouse gases emitted at all stages of production for lab-grown meat are likely to be “orders of magnitude” greater than traditional meat. This is especially true of lab-grown beef.
Source: DW
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