In-Vitro Meat

There are many issues currently facing our meat production system. Animals are raised in confined spaces under factory farms. They are forced to eat grains mixed with antibiotics and growth hormones, and many face inhumane treatment as well as other dangers that jeopardize their health. Factory farming also has a negative impact on environmental health. Feedlots take up a large portion of our land’s surface and are the primary producers of the greenhouse gas methane. Despite the many problems with factory farming, the average American consumes over 71.2 pounds of red meat per year according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). With the growing demand for meat and the negative impacts of factory farming on the health of animals, humans, and the environment, we need to look for solutions to halt the growing problem.

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​​But what kinds of solutions, and what can we do? For one, we can ignore the problem: continue our day-to-day lives as if there was no issue, but this would not solve anything and would only exacerbate the situation. Two, we can all become vegetarians, which is very unlikely considering the cultural and societal links to meat. Three, we can try to increase regulation on meat producers hoping that more stringent requirements change the current practices, but we can’t forget about the huge lobbying power of the meat industry. Or we can turn to science, specifically to biotechnology and engineering to make more meat—in-vitro meat.

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In-vitro meat, or cultured meat, is a tissue-engineered process in which meat is grown in a laboratory setting. This new approach aims to solve the aforementioned problems, but there are still many issues to be take into consideration before it becomes a commercial product, such as its potential impact on human health. 

 

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By exploring this website, you will have the opportunity to follow the process of growing your very own in-vitro meat. As you start the process by taking a biopsy of bovine flesh and work your way to selling the final product, you will be provided with information to help formulate your opinion about in-vitro meat. Keep the following questions in mind as you work your way through. 

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• Is in-vitro meat healthy?

• Will it be a good alternative to commercial meat? 

• How will it be regulated? 

• Are you in favor of or opposed to in-vitro meat given the provided information?