For the first time in the United States, lab-grown meat created from chicken cells cultured in steel tanks has been authorized for production and sale.
According to The Washington Post, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Upside Foods and Good Meat, a subsidiary of Eat Just, both located in California, to make and sell lab-grown chicken products on June 21. In addition, Joinn Biologics, a Good Meat production partner, has been granted permission to develop the meat.
How the Lab-Grown Meat Is Produced
The process of creating lab-grown meat, known as cultured or cultivated meat, starts by extracting cells from live animals' tissues, according to information provided by the USDA. The department emphasizes that this cell sampling generally does not cause permanent harm or kill the animal.
Once collected, the cells undergo screening and are stored in a cell bank, as per The Associated Press. Later on, they are transferred to large enclosed vessels, often steel tanks, where they act as bioreactors for rapid cell multiplication.
To facilitate cell growth, manufacturers provide nutrients, suitable surfaces for cell attachment, and protein growth factors that prompt the cells to differentiate into muscle, fat, and connective tissues similar to those found in regular chicken, states the USDA statement.
Once the cells have differentiated and are ready for harvest, they are collected from the tanks and processed using conventional food processing and packaging methods. Advocates of lab-grown meat highlight its slaughter-free nature and its potential environmental benefits compared to traditional livestock farming.
However, a team from the University of California, Davis wrote in a news release that the production process for cultivated meat may not necessarily result in lower carbon emissions when compared to conventional farming. This is partly due to the energy-intensive nature of the current growth medium used in producing lab-grown meat.
Furthermore, CNBC reports that the scalability of lab-grown meat production for widespread consumption remains uncertain. Companies are still figuring out how to effectively expand production to make cultivated meat more widely available.
Will Lab-Grown Meat Become Available in US Supermarkets Soon?
In 2019, the FDA and USDA established regulations to ensure the safety and accurate labeling of lab-grown meat. NPR reports that Upside Foods and Good Meat have obtained the necessary USDA approval, confirming the safety of their cultivated chicken products for consumption.
As per Live Science, the lab-grown chicken will not be available initially in regular grocery stores and will have a high price tag. Upside Foods has partnered with renowned chef Dominique Crenn, who will serve the cultivated meat at Bar Crenn in San Francisco.
Similarly, Good Meat's product will be showcased in a restaurant owned by famous chef José Andrés, who also serves on the company's board of directors.
Looking ahead, Upside Foods CEO and founder told Yahoo! Finance that the company's goal is to eventually surpass the prices of conventionally raised meat. He envisions Upside's products being at par with traditional meat within five to 15 years.
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