It’s been six years since the world’s first cell-based meat burger was unveiled. Fast forward to 2019 and there are now more than 40 organizations, including Memphis Meats, Finless Foods and JUST, Inc., working to produce cell-based meat on a commercial scale, along with a series of other meat alternatives.
Cell-based meat, also known as cultured or clean meat, is grown in a lab using stem cells taken from live animals, including cows, chickens, and pigs. The resulting product is not only indistinguishable from farmed meat at a cellular level; the texture and taste are exactly the same. This differs from plant-based brands like Impossible Meat and Beyond Meat because cell-based meat is still derived from animals but is created in a lab instead of from farmed livestock.
Why Go Cell-based?
Some of the benefits of cell-based meat include:
- No antibiotics: The use of antibiotics in livestock is leading to increased resistance
- Cruelty-free: No factory farming of animals
- Less waste: Animals are not raised solely for limited use
- Healthier and safer for consumption: Pathogens including salmonella can be eliminated
- Better for the environment: Nofossil fuel usage, animal methane, or water and land consumption
Some argue that the recent rise in veganism should encourage the production of plant-based alternatives. However, despite the hype, evidence suggests the number of vegans is still relatively small, whereas the meat market is expected to grow in the coming years.
With this in mind, cell-based meat hailed as a sustainable and cruelty-free alternative to current farming practices is a more viable option.
What’s Taking So Long?
If the cause and the technology are there, what’s taking cell-based meat so long to hit the mainstream?
Despite some pretty hefty backers, including Bill Gates and Tyson Foods, the vast majority of cell-based meat to date exists only as prototypes. And it is not predicted to be on a supermarket shelf near you for another three to five years. There are a variety of factors holding cell-based meat back, including regulations and scalability, along with consumer skepticism.
Regulations
The first hurdle has been an ongoing debate surrounding the responsibility of regulating and appropriately labeling cell-based meat products. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) disputed this for some time before committing to a partnership at the end of last year. It’s now presumed that the FDA will oversee the production process, including cell collection and culturing, while the USDA will oversee harvesting and labeling.
While this is a promising development for the industry, scrutiny and subsequent media interest has resulted in some objections from farmers, who are concerned about lost livelihood and the naming and classification of meat. The term “clean meat” is particularly criticized because it implies farmed meat is somehow “unclean”. Last year, the US Cattlemen’s Association campaigned to have words including “meat” and “beef” reserved exclusively for livestock that has been raised and slaughtered. However, cell-based meat organizations have argued that labeling their products as “meat” is essential for achieving consumer buy-in.
Consumer Attitudes
Cell-based meat has been labeled by some critics as “unnatural” and “weird”. A recent survey by the Sentience Institute revealed that less than 50% of people would choose to eat cultured foods, despite the promoted health and ethical benefits, so it’s unsurprising that people in the industry are treading cautiously.
One wrong move, in the form of a health scare, a subpar product, or damning news article, could set progress back and destroy reputations for years. A recent study from "Livestock, Environment, and People”, a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the International Food Policy Research Institute, supermarket group Sainsbury’s, and The Nature Conservancy, threw cell-based meat into the spotlight by revealing that its production at a large scale could impact global warming as much as livestock farming.
Scalability
Cell-based meat companies are keeping the finer details of their production methods firmly behind closed doors, but it’s safe to say that one of their key challenges is scalability. Delivering a high-end meal using cell-based meat at an upmarket restaurant is one thing but guaranteeing safety and affordability at scale is a new test entirely. Companies are testing different techniques to accelerate production. Aleph Farms, for example, is experimenting with growing 3D tissue on edible scaffolding, while others are using 3D bioprinting.
The production of cell-based meat is likely to accelerate rapidly in the coming years. To overcome the current challenges and hurdles, cross-company collaboration could be vital. In Hong Kong, cell-based meat, providing it is cooked, is already permitted to go to market; this could be an appealing route for the industry’s biggest players.
