Lab-grown meat, produced without the need for slaughtering animals, has received regulatory approval for sale for the first time. The innovative “chicken bites” created by the US company Eat Just have successfully passed a safety review conducted by the Singapore Food Agency. This marks a pivotal moment in the meat industry, raising prospects for a future where all meat is cultivated without the necessity of taking animal lives.
Eat Just’s chicken bites, cultivated in bioreactors and combined with plant-based ingredients, could revolutionize the way meat is produced, significantly reducing the environmental impact of industrial livestock farming. The move comes as part of a broader initiative to address climate and nature crises, offering a cleaner, drug-free, and cruelty-free alternative to conventional meat.
While the initial availability of the lab-grown meat will be limited, with sales starting in a Singaporean restaurant, Eat Just anticipates future scalability, eventually making the product more affordable compared to traditional chicken. The cells used in the process are derived from a cell bank, eliminating the need for chicken slaughter, as they can be obtained through live animal biopsies. The nutrients supplied to the growing cells are entirely plant-based.
Despite the use of foetal bovine serum in the Singapore production line, which is largely removed before consumption, the next production line is expected to employ a plant-based serum. This shift aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainable and cruelty-free practices, even though it was not available during the initial approval process two years ago.
The global meat industry currently faces significant challenges related to the environmental impact of industrialized meat production. Approximately 130 million chickens and 4 million pigs are slaughtered daily for meat, contributing to a substantial portion of Earth’s mammalian biomass. Lab-grown meat offers a promising solution by addressing ethical, environmental, and health concerns.
Although current lab-grown meat production requires a relatively high amount of energy and, consequently, carbon emissions, manufacturers believe that scalability will lead to significantly lower emissions, as well as reduced water and land usage compared to conventional meat.
Josh Tetrick, CEO of Eat Just, views the regulatory approval as a pivotal milestone in the food industry, envisioning a future where the majority of meat is produced without harming animals or the environment. However, challenges remain, particularly in consumer acceptance of cultured meat. Tetrick acknowledges the need for transparent communication to help consumers understand and embrace this innovative approach.
While other companies, including Memphis Meats, Mosa Meat, and Aleph Farms, work on textured lab-grown products such as steaks, major players like Tyson and Cargill have also entered the domain. The recent approval in Singapore may serve as a catalyst for the global adoption of lab-grown meat, signaling a transformative shift in the future of food production.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
