Is Lab-Grown Meat Really Better?

It is nice for those of us who don’t eat meat to have “plant-based” or other meat alternatives at restaurants. One of the latest developments in the food industry is cultured meat or lab-grown meat. We can also call it pseudo meat. On the surface, it seems like a good idea because, put simply, it is ‘grown’ without harming or killing animals. But is it really as brilliant as it sounds?

Lab-Grown Meat vs. Animal Farming

1. The Process

How does cultivating meat in a lab work? First, researchers take a few stem cells from a live animal, supposedly without harming it. They then feed these cells nutrient-rich solutions. The whole process is done in bioreactors until the culture can be ‘harvested’. In short, it is the in-vitro cultivation of animal cells.

While raising and slaughtering animals for meat raises concerns around animal cruelty, cultured meat is not entirely cruelty-free either. The stem cells taken to culture the meat currently requires fetal bovine serum. The way this is obtained is not necessarily ethical.

2. The Environmental Impact

You may already know about how traditional animal farming affects the environment. Meat production accounts for 70% of global water use. Meat is also responsible for 14.5% of all greenhouse gases and contributes to our deforestation problem.

Lab-grown meat also comes with its own environmental impact. It is expected to produce more carbon dioxide than traditional animal farming. CO2 in the atmosphere does not dissipate quickly. It accumulates over millennia and so, its negative effects linger. The cultivation process also requires high amounts of energy and the sugar used to feed the cells come from corn crops. The plans to take care of the waste from lab-grown meat are also unclear.

Plans for Widespread Distribution

According to OneGreen Planet, several companies are planning to bring in lab-grown meat, including chicken, beef, pork, seafood, pet food, and other forms, to their offerings. The companies include Memphis Meats, Meatable, SuperMeat, Finless Foods, Mosa Meat, and Aleph Farms. Meat industry corporations such as Cargill and Tyson are backing them with big investments, as well as venture capitalist firms and billionaires.

Risks of Lab-Grown Meat: Cancer

The biggest risk we are looking at is the risk of cancer. While we call it lab-grown meat, in the food industry the apt name for it is cultured cell-based meat. This is actually a step further than processed meat. The entire process of production is a form of genetic engineering, which means it can heighten cancer risks. The production method uses genetic constructs called onco-genes to keep the stem cells growing. This is not a problem for lab experiments, but it is a different story for the food industry. The International Agency of Research on Cancer, which is a part of WHO, has deemed processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans.” In other words, cultured meat can be harmful to human health even more than processed meat.

Conclusion

While the idea of lab-grown meat sounds progressive, its environmental and health consequences are less exciting. While both cultivated meat and meat from slaughtered animals both have their cons, it doesn’t mean we need to give up our intake. We can choose to simply eat less meat. Decreasing consumption can already help lessen greenhouse gas emissions from meat production. Those who feel comfortable may adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet.

At Green Schools Green Future, we believe innovation should work alongside nature. Our curriculum will teach children to grow their own food in sustainable ways and adopt healthy eating habits.