Laboratory-grown meat is expected to be the future food solution
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Israel opened a synthetic meat factory, which it claims is the world’s first. The factory can produce 500 kilograms of cultured meat products or the equivalent of 5,000 burgers in one day. This meat is called cultured because it is grown in a laboratory.
According to the page ZME Science which was launched on Tuesday (29/6), a biotech company Israel behind the project hope to bring their products to supermarket shelves by 2022.
Future Meat Technologies, pthe company claims farm-raised meat produces 80 percent fewer greenhouse emissions. In addition, in their production process they use 99 percent less land.
The process also consumes 96 percent less water than traditional meat production. They will produce farmed chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle without the use of animal serum or genetic modifications and about 20 times faster than traditional farming.
“The opening of this facility marks a major step in the path Future Meat Technologies to the market,” Future Meat Technologies CEO Rom Kshuk said in a statement.
Most laboratory-made meats are produced by two methodologies, either using plant products as a starting point or starting with real cells taken from live animals. The latter is essentially cloned real meat with cells reared in a bioreactor and fed the same nutrients as live animals, allowing them to grow and reproduce.
Several other startups are already using this approach, turning animal cells into edible parts. Their method does not involve genetic modification and includes what the company describes as a media rejuvenation process. Where eliminating waste products is more efficient than today’s industry standards.
Processed meat industry or medium cultivation booming currently and is expected to reach 352.4 million US dollars in 2028.
Company founder Yaakov Nahmias says their goal is to make synthetic meat affordable for everyone. They say they will make sure they produce delicious food that is healthy and sustainable.
The global population is expected to surpass nine billion by 2050. The United Nations predicts 70 percent more food will be needed by then to meet the demands of a growing population.
This is a big challenge due to limited resources and arable land. Meanwhile, meat consumption continues to increase, especially in developing countries a growing middle class. This cultured meat is presented as a sustainable alternative for consumers who do not want to reduce meat consumption.
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