The consumption of meat has come under a lot of scrutiny. Scientists are coming up with an advanced solution to the ‘meat problem’ Lab-grown meat or cultured meat may negate the killing of animals and lead to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly non-vegetarian society.
A burger made from lab-grown meat was presented to journalists in 2012. People who have tried cultured meat say it tastes as good as real meat and that it’s hard to tell the difference in taste and texture. It will take more time to perfect replicating real meat, since this is only the beginning of the technology.
The hamburger that was presented to a panel of journalists costs $325,000 to make. Since the idea is relatively new and the necessary technology has only just been explored, the current cost of production is steep. But scientists forecast that as technology advances and the idea starts gaining more traction, the production cost will slowly start declining.
Lab-grown meat could reduce the use of energy and land by as much as 45%, and produce up to 96% fewer greenhouse gasses. It will also be animal-friendly as no animals will be harmed or treated unethically. The standard production of just half a kilo of meat requires around 9000 liters of water, as compared to 94 liters required for cultured meat. It is estimated that lab-grown meat will be commercially available as early as 2021 in some countries. Even so, it is a slow process which requires immense time, knowledge, lab work, and experimentation.
