BY JOANNA PATSALIS
I bought organic, lab-made burgers from my neighborhood's grocery store. It was cheaper, had less fat and more nutrients than any other alternative. It even tasted better!
If you think about the agriculture industry, we’ve come a long way… Here’s a quick summary:
Up until the end of the 18th century, the vast majority of people were farmers. The 18th and 19th centuries accelerated an ongoing revolution in agriculture – use of animal and human labor as a source of power. Physics, chemistry, and biology became tools to that revolutionized agricultural systems. Later, the adoption of new power sources, such as steam, increased the use of chemicals. Today, improved plant and livestock breeding through genetic engineering promise to improved shelf life and are resistant to disease, stress resistance, herbicide, pests and insects.
The revolution won’t change how food is delivered but rather how the food is produced, prepared and processed for one simple reason. People care about what we eat. There are several trends confirming this.
Healthier eating habits: Brands are investing more in healthier food. Health and wellness is now used as a positioning for corporations. Hershey and General Mills are among the companies planning to continue expanding their portfolios to younger consumers (millennials and Gen Z) who want healthier options.
Meat: Bloomberg last summer reported that plant-based meat alternatives totaled $670 million in sales — a 24% jump from last year.
Sustainability: shoppers have been willing to pay more to feel like they are helping the environment. As sustainable business practices become the norm not the exception across the food industry, sustainability is used to as competitive advantage and increase profits. Mars, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Walmart have all announced sustainability plans.
Earth’s resources are scarce and population is increasing, which could put the human species in danger. Luckily, scientists have found another (out-of the box) solution to keep feeding us. A new production method for live-stock: the Lab! You no longer need the land for the animals to live, nor the machines to process their meat.. You don’t even need the animal.
Production of cell-cultured meat involves retrieving a live animal’s muscle stem cells from the tissue and setting them in a nutrient-rich liquid, multiply them dramatically and allow them to differentiate into primitive fibers that then bulk up to form muscle tissue.
“One tissue sample from a cow can yield enough muscle tissue to make 80,000 quarter-pounders.”
Mosa Meat
The lab-grown meat has caught attention in 2013 but was too expensive to commercialize. As the technology improves and the competition increases we are now at a point where FDA is beginning to think how to regulate. Key players include Mosa Meat, Memphis Meats, SuperMeat and Finless Foods who have already raised millions in funding. In 2017, for instance, Memphis Meats took in $17 million.
- doesn’t involve livestock – and thus avoid slaughter and save endangered animals
- could potentially be healthier – contain more protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids than traditional meat, eliminate saturated fat, potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Minimizing animal-borne diseases. No need for growth hormones/pesticides/fungicides/aflatoxins/melamine, used in the traditional meat industry
- consume fewer natural resources- no environmental impacts and ethical issues
- could be cheaper and more accessible – could increase access to meat in developing countries
- sustainability – Researchers comparing the production of cultured and conventional meat found that producing 1,000 kilograms of cultured meat involves approximately 7%-45% lower energy use, 78%-96% lower greenhouse gas emissions, 99% lower land use and 82%- 96% lower water use
But will it sell?
The livestock sector is the fastest growing sub-sector of agriculture and employs 1.3 billion people. Many farmers have been vocal about their concerns on potential unemployment and push for strong regulations. Moreover, vegans and certain religious groups, feel any exploitation of animals is still unacceptable. On the other hand, Environmental groups, animal welfare advocates and some health-conscious consumers will most likely be the biggest fans.
Based on Food Literacy and Engagement Poll recent survey the results vary. 48% of people said they’d be unlikely to buy this product. People with higher income are more likely to switch from being undecided about cultured meat to being willing to try. As far as age, younger people are 5 times more likely to purchase cultured meat products. Attitudes related to this innovation will depend on how it gets labeled and how the person is influenced by values and experiences.
Currently we consume food without being 100% sure how livestock was treated and processed. We trust labels claiming ‘organic’ but the term is so vague. I see no reason not trusting science. Lab-cultivated food will at least give you peace of mind in terms of how it was produced and its neutrinos. If it tastes good, I would definitely try it! Would you?
