Imagine a world where our meat doesn’t contain antibiotics, a world where our meat is sustainable, and a world where meat doesn't require slaughter.
By using state-of-the-art cell culture techniques, a small sample of cells from an animal and then expanding these cells by feeding them a rich and animal free growth media. When the cells have grown, they are guided to become muscle, fat and other types of tissue in order to form the desired meat product.
Early successes have produced among the world’s first prototypes of laboratory-grown bacon rashers and pork belly. Pork belly is approximately 50 per cent cultivated meat to 50 per cent plant-based and the bacon around 70 per cent cultivated meat to 30 per cent plant-based.
The production of the first-ever cultivated bacon and pork belly is proof that new techniques can help meet the overwhelming demand for pork products globally. The mission is to provide meat that is healthy and sustainable without the consumer making any sacrifices on taste.
There are already some companies focused on the next steps to bring products to everyone’s homes. Cell-based meat could be the next big thing. Five companies leading the revolution who already produce meat substitute are listed below:
Mosa Meat (Holland) want to introduce a new way of thinking about, growing, making, and enjoying food. A next step which is kinder for everyone and the planet without sacrificing taste.
Memphis Meats. In 2015, the company’s founding was the first (1st) cultivated meat company in the world. It cultivated the world’s first meatball, then the world’s first chicken and duck. They secured funding from leaders such as Bill Gates and Richard Branson.
Aleph Farms cultivate quality steak directly from animal cells, so enjoying meat no longer needs to come at the expense of nature, but because of it. They are reimagining their food systems, one slaughter-free, net zero steak at a time.
BlueNalu’s mission is to be the global leader in cell-cultured seafood, providing consumers with great tasting, healthy, safe and trusted products that support the sustainability and diversity of the ocean.
Finless Foods want to create a future for seafood where the ocean thrives. They are working toward it every day by creating delicious, alternative seafood products that help to satisfy clients’ cravings without bait or a hook.
You might ask yourself, is cell-based meat (fish) the next big thing? One of the biggest challenges ahead is creating product at prices affordable to consumers and trade customers.
One of these producers says, “These are early days and our intention is to build a business and products that stand the test of time. That means getting the regulatory process rock solid and building a great team and solid financial foundations as we progress to every new stage of production. We believe the biotechnology cluster as it has evolved in Cambridge will be a tremendous asset for Higher Steaks as we continue to grow our team and technology. We are aware of the risks but also the massive potential in our marketplace.”
Your guess would be as good as mine if you wonder how authentic these substitute meats are. I’ve tried plant burgers, and truthfully, I couldn’t distinguish one from the other. My main concerns are price and health attributes!
Take care!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Slaughter (n) = killing, murder, massacre, carnage, butchery, crush
Media (n) = means, vehicles, channels, ways, avenues, forms, also media means via television, radio, magazines, newspapers
Meat (fish) = Fish is the flesh of an animal used for food, and by that definition, it's meat. However, many religions don't consider it meat. There are also several important distinctions between fish and other types of meat, especially in terms of their nutritional profiles and potential health benefits.