Cultured Meat: “Meat” the Benefits!
Cultured meat, also referred to as cultivated meat, has been a topic of discussion for many years. Biotechnologists all over the globe have made monumental contributions to the development of cultured meat. Though not prepared for the market yet, cultured meat has a promising future concerning replacing animal meat. The impacts of cultured meat hitting the marketplace would be substantial, especially in relation to animal cruelty, the environment, and eating habits among people with limited diets.
Animal Life
As a result of modern meat processing practices, billions of animals are killed daily around the planet. Cows, pigs, chickens, and sheep are just a few of the numerous animal groups that are slaughtered for meat consumption, not to mention aquatic life and animals that fall victim to hunters such as deer and wild turkeys. With cultured meat in the works, scientists have the potential to prevent needless killings of animals everywhere.
In a nutshell, cultured meat is produced by extracting muscle cells from an animal and allowing the number of cells to grow in a controlled environment. As the cells increase, more muscle tissue is able to form. Once the tissue has developed, the goal of cultured meat has been met. Ultimately, no animals are harmed or killed throughout the process. With the possibility of cultured meat replacing biological meat in supermarkets, countless animals could be saved. By protecting animal life, cultured meat also provides positive benefits that impact the environment.
Environment and Resources
Resources essential for human life are also extremely crucial to the field of agriculture. In fact, farming activities are responsible for approximately 80% of the United States’ water usage. Furthermore, millions and millions of tons of grains and vegetables are reserved for livestock consumption every year. With the demanding agriculture industry, the world sees a drastic decrease in resources that could be conserved by exploring alternative meat options.
Real meat manufacturing requires healthy cattle, which in turn affects water, land, food, and electricity supplies. As the desire for meat rises, resources decrease. With the production and selling of cultured meat, however, resource usage (specifically water and land) could be cut down significantly. Producing cell-based meat, as opposed to real meat, would require about 96% less water. In addition, the demand for animals would be much lower since the meat is merely cell-based; therefore, not as many land and food supplies would be needed for cattle maintenance.
Eating Habits
We all know a vegetarian or two, or maybe you’re one yourself. Vegetarians regularly maintain a diet that excludes animal meat. The reasonings for eating preferences among vegetarians vary. Many choose not to eat meat simply for health reasons while others may choose not to for their love of animals. Regardless of rationale, cultured meat is likely to alter the meat-eating habits of vegetarians permanently.
Dietary restrictions often define what certain people eat and don’t eat. Since cultured meat is cell-based, food intake of people everywhere is highly likely to change. Vegetarians would be able to eat guilt-free by eating animal-free. It has also been argued that cultured meat is cleaner than real meat because it is produced in a clean, sanitary environment as opposed to normal meat. In turn, this could also implement healthier living among consumers.
The Future of Cultivated Meat
Clearly, there are multiple benefits that stem from the consumption of cultured meat: it protects animal life, conserves environmental resources, and is edible for vegetarians. Once financial and scientific needs have been successfully met, cultured meat has the potential to impact the market in tremendous ways and change the way people eat forever.
Learn more about the cultivated meat industry at the Cultured Meat Symposium taking place virtually this October 2020.
Sources
Benefits of Clean Meat. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mosameat.com/benefits
Irrigation & Water Use. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-practices-management/irrigation-water-use/
