Should American families consider adopting lab-grown meat as an alternative? Understanding the 'cultivated' option.

Despite the FDA's recent approval of lab-grown meat products from two California companies, experts predict that several obstacles must be overcome before this "cultivated" food alternative can become widely available in supermarkets and American households. Furthermore, some emphasize the importance of educating consumers about the production process.

In 2023, two companies, Upside Foods and GOOD Meats, received approval from both the USDA and FDA to sell cultivated meat, both based in California.

Lauren Harris-Pincus, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, has stated that only cultured chicken is currently approved for sale and consumption.

She informed Planet Chronicle Digital in an interview that it would take some time before lab-grown meat would be available in supermarkets.

A longevity expert and neurologist from Florida, Dr. Brett Osborn, gave a straightforward evaluation.

The food industry, he stated, is being disrupted by "the stuff of science-fiction films," which refers to lab-grown meat.

This new method of meat production presents several advantages, yet it also presents obstacles.

The think tank in Washington, D.C. is working to educate Americans about the creation of lab-grown meat and the reasons for consumers to exercise caution as more companies enter this market.

"The approval of lab-grown meat by the Biden FDA is a significant development, according to Jack Hubbard of the Center for the Environment & Welfare, given that Italy has recently prohibited it."

The School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024 seeks to ban lab-grown meat from the federal school-lunch program.

A coalition of 12 countries has formed a "culinary alliance" against lab-grown meat, while France recently proposed a ban on it.

In the US, state legislators in Texas, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Missouri, and Arizona have introduced legislation to either label or ban lab-grown meat. Additionally, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, have introduced bipartisan federal legislation to ban it from the school lunch program, as mentioned in The School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024.

In his discussion of lab-grown meat, Hubbard highlighted the use of immortalized cells, which replicate indefinitely and exhibit cancer-like behavior. This often evokes a strong negative reaction in people.

He stated that his group views the recent trend towards lab-grown meat as part of an anti-farmer, anti-farming agenda.

"The American public may have legitimate concerns about a lab-grown material being served to them."

As a father of four, I would not serve this to my kids.

What is lab-grown meat?

Unlike plant-based meat substitutes, cultivated meat is produced in a facility using animal cells.

The product resembles real animal meat in appearance and taste, but it is produced without the need for animal farming.

According to the Good Food Institute (GFI), scientists cultivate stem cells in tanks or vessels and "grow" them by adding nutrients, proteins, and other supplements. These cells are then transformed into actual muscle, fat, and tissues, which can be harvested and packaged as meat products during the production process.

The entire process can take between two and eight weeks, per GFI.

Planet Chronicle Digital was given a process sharing by Good Meat, a company that has received FDA approval for its cultivated chicken.

The company spokesperson stated that after the chicken cells are harvested from the bioreactor, they are combined with other plant-based components and formed into various meat products, including crispy chicken bites, savory sausages, shredded chicken, and grilled chicken filets.

The spokesperson stated that the cells are given a "nutrient-rich, plant-based broth containing amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals, fats, and vitamins."

"The entire process occurs in a secure and regulated setting that resembles a beer brewery."

Upside Foods, another FDA-approved producer of cultivated meat, utilizes a similar process, as per its description.

A company spokesperson stated that the goal is to replicate the naturally occurring conditions within an animal's body.

"After the meat is done, we take it out of the cultivators and cook or prepare it like any other meat product."

Potential benefits

Supporters of in vitro meat argue for advantages in terms of environmental sustainability and animal welfare.

Satisfy global demand without harming any animal by cultivating meat, according to GOOD Meat's statement to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"The spokesperson stated that factory farming contributes to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and enormous greenhouse gas emissions, while also having the potential to reduce the devastating environmental impact of conventional animal agriculture."

Upside Foods' spokesperson stated that the three primary advantages of cultivated meat are environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and human health.

The spokesperson informed Planet Chronicle Digital that industrial animal agriculture is responsible for 15% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, consumes up to one-third of the world's arable land and water, and kills over 70 billion animals annually.

Both companies issued warnings against the excessive use of antibiotics in animal agriculture.

"The Upside Foods spokesperson stated that the projected increase in meat demand by 2050 is especially concerning. However, cultivated meat can address these challenges by offering a more sustainable and humane way to meet the world's growing demand for meat."

A GOOD Meat spokesperson stated that supply chain efficiency is another potential benefit.

"We only grow the parts of animals that we consume, which reduces the resources needed for industrial animal agriculture. As a result, we can complete growth in a shorter timeframe, typically weeks instead of months or years."

"We only grow what we eat. This means we use fewer resources."

The Florida neurologist and longevity expert, Osborn, acknowledged that cultivated meat could offer some advantages.

Lab-grown meat can provide a stable food supply that is less susceptible to vulnerabilities such as disease outbreaks that threaten typical livestock, thereby ensuring food security while reducing the environmental footprint.

Osborn stated that lab-grown meat has the potential to improve animal welfare by eliminating the need for animal farming and slaughter.

By reducing the need for antibiotics, we could lower antibiotic resistance in humans, which is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, he said.

Lab-grown meat has some advantages, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Planet Chronicle medical contributor.

Animals raised for food are often raised in squalor, which significantly reduces the risk of infectious contamination, according to him.

"The protein source is similar, and the fat content can be better managed."

Risks and challenges

While lab-grown meat may reduce the carbon footprint of meat production, the full impact of large-scale operations is not yet clear, according to registered dietitian Pincus of New Jersey.

She acknowledged that while lab-grown meat may be biologically identical to traditional animal products, it might not possess the same nutritional value.

"This meat is very pricey and will cost substantially more than conventionally farmed meat."

The nutritional components of animal meat that accumulate in the muscle are affected by the diet of the animal and would not automatically be found in lab grown meat, according to her statement to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Pincus added that the meat is expensive and will be significantly more costly than conventionally farmed meat.

She added that it would not be an affordable and accessible option for most people in the near future.

Michelle Routhenstein, a New York City-based cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, advised caution on lab-grown meat due to the lack of research on its safety, particularly concerning allergens, microbial contamination, and potential long-term health impacts.

The cost of production is one of the biggest challenges associated with lab-grown meat, as Osborn agreed.

He informed Planet Chronicle Digital that the cost of conventionally farmed meat is currently higher, making it less accessible to consumers.

There is the risk of contamination in the production process by metals and chemicals.

Lab-grown meat may not have the same taste or texture as traditional meat, which could affect its market acceptance, according to him.

Osborn stated that the preference for real animal meat is deeply ingrained in our genes, which makes it difficult to change these habits.

The production process carries the risk of contamination by metals and chemicals, according to Siegel of New York City.

A study conducted by UC Davis researchers in May 2023 revealed that lab-grown meat may not be more environmentally friendly than traditional meat production, as the intricate production process consumes more greenhouse gases and generates more pollution than the methane released by animals.

Food or pharma?

The researchers in the UC Davis study compared the method of raising meat to the technology utilized in manufacturing pharmaceuticals.

According to Derrick Risner, a doctoral graduate from the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology, if companies need to purify growth media to pharmaceutical levels, it consumes more resources, which in turn contributes to global warming.

He cautioned that if the product is manufactured using the "pharma" method, it will have a negative impact on the environment and be more costly than traditional beef production.

"Our findings suggest that cultured meat is not inherently better for the environment than conventional beef. It’s not a panacea."

The UC Davis researchers found that lab-grown meat using "purified" ingredients produces four to 25 times more global warming than traditional methods.

According to Edward Spang, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at UC Davis, the study suggests that cultured meat is not necessarily better for the environment than conventional beef. It is not a solution to all environmental problems.

"Significant technical advancements are necessary to increase the performance of cell culture media while decreasing its environmental impact in the future."

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out to the UC Davis researchers for additional comment.

"Lab-grown meat has the potential to be sustainable, improve animal welfare, and reduce environmental impact, according to Osborn. However, it faces challenges related to cost, technology, consumer acceptance, and regulation that must be addressed in order to fully realize its potential as an ever-sustainable food source."

"There are no studies on its long-term health effects."

The National Farmers Union and the American Farm Bureau Federation were contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for their opinions on this alternative method of meat production.

In D.C., Hubbard from the Center for the Environment & Welfare stated that a fast-growing petition on change.org, with over 18,000 signatures as of Thursday evening, aims to keep lab-grown meat out of school cafeterias.

The petition highlights parents' concerns about lab-grown meat, including the lack of long-term health studies and the lack of transparency regarding the chemicals used in the growth serum.

Advocates of lab-grown meat are misleading the public by claiming it is a healthier alternative to farm-raised meat, despite the fact that it has never been part of the human diet.