Lab grown meat sounds like something in the distant future, but due to modern technology, we are closer than ever to having it on your dinner plate. Lab grown meat or cultured meat is when stem cells of an animal are taken and grown in vitro or in a petri dish. The popularization of cell culturation is the work of Jason Matheny who discovered that using techniques of regenerative medicine could be applied to grow meat products like poultry, beef, pork, and seafood.
Facts about Lab Grown Meat
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Lab grown meat could cut down greenhouse gas emissions by 96% according to Oxford.
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Switching to lab grown meat can cut our water consumption between 82 and 96%, depending on the animal.
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Animal rights are protected as animal meats are not mass produced.
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Farm space is saved with less live animals overall.
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Risk of outbreak is lower as there are not high amounts of animals in confined spaces.
What is Lab Grown Meat?
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Lab grown meat or cultured meat is when stem cells of an animal are taken and grown in vitro or in a petri dish.
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Many companies and investors are betting on this way of making meat more environmentally sustainable.
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This could address many issues like animal welfare, greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production, worldwide food security, and health.
Controversy and Drawbacks
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Vegans and vegetarians have drawn questions on the ethicality of using stem cells.
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Scepticism and hesitancy over the idea of having meat grown in a lab.
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Farmer jobs lost in the process and a shifting job market from the economic grip of the meat industry.
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Accessibility to lab grown meat has drawn issues of who and where will be able to grow and enjoy a more sustainable practice.