How Lab-Grown Meat is Made

From Cell to Steak: The Cultured Meat Process

Reading time : 1 minute, Discovery Chepe Id-500-SOC
Published in 10-22-2024

Although its consumption has not yet become widespread, several companies worldwide have managed to produce laboratory-grown meat and some have obtained regulatory approvals for sale in certain markets.
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Lab-grown meat, also known as in vitro or synthetic meat, is one of the most promising innovations in the food industry. This type of meat is obtained from animal stem cells, which are grown in a controlled environment to produce muscle tissue.

How is it produced?
The process of producing cultured meat involves several steps:
1- Obtaining stem cells: Stem cells are extracted from a living animal, usually from a muscle biopsy.
2- Cell multiplication: In a bioreactor, cells are multiplied and fed with a culture medium containing essential nutrients.
3- Tissue formation: The cells organize and form structures similar to those of muscle tissue.
4- Maturation: The tissue is matured to develop the texture, flavor and appearance of conventional meat.

The Future of Food: How Cultured Meat is Grown

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Flavor and texture
One of the main questions about cultured meat is its flavor and texture. Thanks to technological advances, production companies have managed to develop cultured meat with a flavor and texture very similar to conventional meat. However, there is still room for improvement and customization of products.

The future of cultured meat
The future of cultured meat is promising. This technology is expected to revolutionize the food industry, offering a more sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional meat production. Some of the potential benefits of cultured meat include:
1- Reduced environmental impact: Less water and land consumption, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
2- Improved animal welfare: Elimination of animal slaughter.
3- Food safety: Lower risk of contamination by pathogens.
4- Food innovation: Development of new products and flavors.

Comparison of traditional, cultured and plant-based meat

Characteristic	Traditional meat	Cultured meat	Plant-based meat
Origin	Animal	Cultured animal cells	Plants
Process	Breeding and slaughter	Cell culture	Plant processing
Nutrients	Proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals from	Animal	Meat-like proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals	Plant-based proteins, fibre, plant-based vitamins and minerals
Environmental impact	High	Low	Moderate
Animal welfare	Involves animal slaughter	Does not involve animal slaughter	Does not involve the use of animals

Which countries consume cultured meat?
Although cultured meat is still in an early stage of development, several countries have approved its consumption and large-scale research and testing are underway. Some of the leading countries in this field are the United States, Israel, Singapore and the Netherlands.
Lab-grown meat represents a revolutionary alternative to traditional meat production. With its environmental, ethical and health benefits, this technology has the potential to transform the way we produce and consume food.