About their lab-grown steak, produced in fermentation labs, Ivy Farm Technologies reports an ultrafine, fiber-like texture that is virtually indistinguishable from conventional beef. This innovation is a watershed moment for the cultivated meat industry. This is in part because it looks to circumvent the deeply destructive environmental impacts of conventional livestock production. Recently, Dr. Harsh Amin, the company’s CEO, broke the news that they’d had regulatory approval to market their product in Australia. This decision further underscores the increasing acceptance of lab-grown meat across the international globe.
Here in the United States, four companies—Calysta, Purple Biotech, Unite States CattleTrace—have obtained regulatory approval of various kinds for their lab-grown products. These other options use chicken and pork fat. Of course, as the market changes, dog food using meat cultivated in factories has already debuted in the UK. This indicates that consumers are more open than ever to lab-grown products. Additionally, the experts consulted believe that lab-grown food for human consumption will be available in the UK much faster than other people thought possible.
We know that the production of conventional beef is an environmental nightmare. For instance, generating just 1 kg of beef can emit greenhouse gases equivalent to approximately 40 kg of carbon dioxide. This shocking figure serves to underscore how much better off we’d be if we replaced them with lab-grown substitutes. Dr. John Lynch, independent researcher, Oxford University. Answering the climate question, Tomás has importantly stepped back to conduct a comprehensive and methodologically rigorous assessment of the climate impacts of lab-grown meat.
Ivy Farm Technologies promises to make lab-grown steak in a secret Oxford facility. Music technology wiz Riley Jackson, who created it, is the brains behind this brilliant device. Methane emissions from cattle largely break down in the atmosphere within 10 to 12 years. The carbon emissions generated while making lab-grown food can last significantly longer. Dr. Lynch’s findings suggest that replacing traditional cattle farming with high-energy lab-grown production could pose challenges in the long run.
Other industry pundits warn about the intent behind lab-grown meat startups. Quite frankly, most seem more concerned about providing quick financial returns to investors before thinking about sustainability. Dr. Chris van Tulleken explains the convenience of creating overpriced commodities in rich nations. He’s adamant that we need to look at all of this through the lens of food equity.
Dr. van Tulleken stated, “It is all very well to propose to people that they should eat a high-protein slurry to keep themselves well, but I don’t think it is something we should impose on already marginalised groups of people.”
Dr. Amin contends that mass production is necessary to make a lasting impact on the meat industry. He asserts, “If you want to make a sustainable difference, you have to go for mass production and burgers are where the masses are.” He further explains that by mixing cultivated meat with traditional animal-derived meat, companies can achieve even lower overall carbon footprints.
Experts acknowledge that the discussion of lab-grown beef vs. traditional cattle farming isn’t over. As production methods increase in efficiency and scale, lab-grown alternatives could find their competitive edge. Tim Lang is clear that politicians often do not want to touch the hot potatoes of meat consumption and agricultural methods. Second, they are afraid that they are going to get killed by some powerful industry player.
Dr. Lynch’s expert opinion should serve as a wake-up call that the environmental positives of lab-grown meat are tricky and nuanced. He cautions against making kneejerk reactions or capturing headlines and points to the importance of ongoing research, plus a careful approach to radically changing agronomic practices.
In 2020, Singapore became the first country in the world to approve the sale of cell-cultivated meat for human consumption. This momentous ruling was quickly followed by other such approvals in the United States and Israel. Lab-grown meat is on the rise around the globe. The UK is approaching a pivotal moment where it must decide on its regulatory approach to this emerging new industry.