Finally, science has figured out a feasible alternative to natural meat (beef and the likes). You won't be totally wrong to infer that this is the era of, among others, cellular engineering, as it ushers in a new phase in meat production; the cultured meat.
In 2013, a team of scientists from the University of Maastricht, led by Prof. Mark Post, created the first lab-grown beef burger. And yes, it was eaten.
History of lab-grown meat
On theory, the idea of culturing meat in the lab dates back to the early 20th century. As a matter of precision, in 1931, Winston Churchil made a suggestion for a possible replacement for chicken (he was so particular about the meat from chicken). But these suggestions just ended up as just weird imaginations until very recently when a trail was blazed in this field.
Production of lab-cultured meat
The entire process for the culturing of meat in the lab can be summed up in three stages:
- Starter cell culturing: This process involves the collecting of cells that proliferate rapidly (These cells include: Stem Cells, Embryonic Cells, and Myoblasts). When these cells are collected, then the culture process will be initiated.
- Growing: A medium for growing of the cultured cell is required. And the most suitable is protein which is placed in a bio-reactor.
- Scaffolding: The meat will definitely assume a certain shape. This is the work of the 3D scaffolding, to give a definite shape to the cultured meat.
Artificiality and health implication
This, no doubt, is the greatest reservation people could have about lab-grown.
Will it be safe for human consumption?
The answer is an emphatic YES. Other minerals and fats, like Omega-3 can be incorporated into the engineering process to give it an edge over the natural meat, according to researchers at Oxford.
Also, the production of meat in the lab has been proven to be more environmental friendly compared to the normal slaughtering of cattle to produce beef.
Acceptability
We're so used to the regular meat, and the issue of acceptability of this synthetic meat will arise. I did a little survey of my friends' opinions (It was actually a systematic review of randomized sampling), and surprisingly, all my friends have reservations about this tech. Will their views count? Time will tell.
Well, for me, I’m a proponent of emerging tech; I can’t wait to have a taste of cultured meat.
Thanks for reading
Image Sources: Img1, Img2, Img3
References for further reading: Ref1, Ref2, Ref3
