Dr. FAAZIL BASHIR RATHER
The World is at critical crossroads, wherein climate shocks and food security crisis are reality and for addressing the situation we need to adapt and innovate.For this we must look into new solutions to be able to feed the world. Such technologies need to be more resilient, eco-friendly and sustainable for the future. The road to resilient future goes through ethical and sustainable food production systems. Global population is rising at a rapid rate and is expected to reach a projected 9.7 billion by 2050 from the current 8 billion souls. Some of the challenges of the food systems are closely linked to our dietary choice, which ultimately is leading to a discrepancy between land resources; dietary preferences for livestock based food and associated carbon foot prints.
Combating climate change and meeting the nutritional needs of growing population without exhausting our precious biodiversity resources, are the biggest challenges which the world is facing. There has been a surge of interest among researchers, policy actors, governments, climate activists and relevant stakeholders in developing and harnessing cutting edge technology, thereby delivering sustainable solutions by transforming the traditional food production sector, to keep up with the growing population, environmental concerns and animal rights. In this backdrop, lab-grown meat, once considered science fiction, has now become a reality.
Mankind is well aware about ‘Mann-O-Salwa’ (Food of Heaven), the type of meal that was gifted to people of Bani Israel (the people of Hazrat Musa A.S).The quest for developing lab grown food dates back as early as 1950s, when William van Eelen, came up with the idea of cultured meat. Later in 1961, Russel Ross (American pathologist), successfully conducted in vitro cultivation of a guinea pig aorta. Its first use as a food source came about in 1991 when John F. Vein obtained a patent for the manufacture of tissue-engineered meat for human consumption. However, it was the 2000s when the concept was popularized and the world’s first nonprofit organization dedicated to in-vitro meat research was founded.
Since then, most recently lab cultured infant milk in USA to lab-grown burger which was created at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and now US FDA approved lab-grown meat, offers the potential to revolutionize the future food industry, providing a viable alternative to traditional on farm meat production. Such products are now much closer to market andmany companies across the world are figuring out ways to culture meat, milk or related ‘cellular agriculture’ products, including leather. Such technologies offer groundbreaking concept that involves growing animal muscle tissue and fat from cells in a laboratory setting without the need of farm rearing of livestock. The primary aim of the cultivated meat production system is quite simple. It significantly reduces the need of farm animals, feeds a growing population and possibly tackles the climate crisis.
What is cultured meat?
Lab-grown meat, also known as cultured or cell-based meat, is defined as a genuine animal meat product that is created by cultivating animal cells in a controlled lab environment, eliminating the need to rear animals for food almost entirely. Cultured meat has all the same fat, muscles and tendons as any animal. The technology has advanced which involves using living cells and their components by way of tissue-engineering techniques to produce cultured meat that resembles real meat textures and flavors.
To start, the first step involved in producing lab-grown meat is extracting or obtaining stem cells from a living animal and creating cell lines. This can be obtained from an animal through biopsy or cell bank, which serves as the source of the animal cells. These stem cells or muscle cells are then placed in a nutrient-rich growth medium, consisting of amino acids, carbohydrates and proteins. The growth medium provides the conditions necessary for cell growth and development outside the body. Through a combination of precise temperature control, oxygen supply and nutrient supplementation, the cells multiply and differentiate, forming muscle fibers that eventually resemble the texture and composition of conventional meat.
To further facilitate the formation of complex 3D structures of the meat, various scaffolding techniques, such as biodegradable scaffolds or 3D printing, are being employed. Such processes provide structural support to the developing cells and tissues by mimicking the natural formation of tissues to create a meat product. The muscle fibers are processed and mixed with additional fats and ingredients to assemble the finished meat product. The cultured meat is made of the same cell types and structure found in animal tissue, the sensory and nutritional profiles are like-for-like.
The technology behind lab-grown meat production relies on tissue engineering, cellular biology and bioprocessing techniques. It aims to replicate the natural process of muscle tissue growth that occurs in animals but in a controlled and optimized laboratory environment. This allows for the production of meat with potentially reduced environmental impact and of course, improved animal welfare.
Is lab-grown meat eco-friendly?
Conventional livestock farming has been considered as the significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 7.1 gigatonnes (approximately 71 billion kg) of carbon dioxide (CO2)-equivalent emissions each year are attributed to global livestock production, which accounts for around 14.5% of all anthropogenic GHG emissions. Studies demonstrate that cultured meat has a lower carbon footprint than conventional meat if grown in a facility powered by renewable energy. It is estimated that the cultured meat would have a carbon footprint of 92% lower than beef, 17% lower than chicken and 52% lower than pork. This estimate stands even if conventional meat is produced more sustainably. In addition to lowered emissions, lab-grown meat requires fewer land and water resources.
Is lab-grown meat really ethical?
There are many different opinions about whether lab-grown meat is really ethical or not. One obvious benefit of cultured meat is the improvement in animal welfare. In traditional farming, animals are raised and slaughtered for meat, often in the worst of conditions, which is cruel to the animals. Lab-grown meat eliminates the need for animal slaughter. Lab-grown meat can be produced in controlled laboratory settingswithout subjecting animals to any discomfort or pain.
Is lab-grown meat safe for human consumption?
Reports suggest that there have been incidences wherein non-judicious and indiscriminate use of antibiotics is being used in conventional livestock farming, resulting in antimicrobial resistance. In contrast, lab-grown meat is grown in a sterile environment, reducing its exposure to potential pathogens that cause illness, which is unavoidable in a slaughterhouse. By eliminating the reliance on antibiotics, cultured meat could help address public health concerns associated with antimicrobial resistance and contribute to more responsible and sustainable food production, thereby offering enhanced food safety. These conditions minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses commonly associated with conventional meat production, such as contamination from pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, etc.
Lab-grown meat offers consumers a safer and more dependable alternative protein sources by removing the need for animal cruelty and related health hazards. Many people want to switch to cultivated meat and this is going to be a very niche market for the elite, who would like to try this in expensive restaurants, but we are far away from feeding the world owing to the price affordability and product availability. But it is believed that in future with more refined technologies and support from policy makers; lab-grown meat could offer sustainable alternatives in fulfilling dietary needs as well as be uncompromising with regards to taste, while being environmentally conscious.
(The Author is Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (Gr-II), Animal Husbandry Department, J&K. Email: [email protected])
