Page 18 - Science Focus (Issue 017)

Cultured Meat: The Future of

the Meat Industry

By Chantelle Sullivan 蘇盈安

In the prehistoric ages, hunters made system [7]. With climate change, limited resources and
weapons to aid in their pursuit of prey for environmental pollution becoming pressing problems
food. But with the passage of time, humans’ in today’s world, more innovative methods are required
expanded wealth of knowledge led to animal to avoid the negative environmental impact caused by
domestication, artificial selection and genetically factory farming. The emergence of cultured meat can
modified (GMO)-meat. To fulfill the demands of potentially be the solution in rendering factory farming
an ever-increasing population in the modern obsolete, acting as a more environmentally friendly,
world, factory farming in the meat industry sustainable and healthy replacement.
has become the norm for obtaining meat.
However, this process equates to misery and Many biotechnology start-ups are working on
suffering for many animals involved, and places developing cultured meat on a large scale. The process
a tremendous burden on the environment. Meat involves obtaining satellite cells from an animal’s muscle.
production accounts for the use of a surprising Also known as muscle stem cells, satellite cells have
26% of the Earth’s ice-free land area [1], 27% of the potential to divide and differentiate into different
global freshwater consumption [2] and 18% of subtypes of muscle cells when they detect muscle injury.
total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions They are also activated for muscle hypertrophy, which
[3]. Seventy-four billion land animals are killed is the process of muscles growth and enlargement after
every year just for human consumption [4]. consistent, intensive exercise. Once plated in growth
It was estimated that every kilogram of beef media, the satellite cells divide and differentiate into
requires 25 kilograms of grain and 15,000 liters muscle cells, which double in number every few days.
of water [5]. Deforestation constantly occurs in When a sufficient number of cells are reached, they are
1
areas such as the Amazon rainforest to make guided into forming strips through the use of scaffolds .
space for beef farming [6]. However, animal These scaffolds mechanically stretch the cell layers
products only accounts for 18% of the calories to induce further growth and increase in their protein
and 37% of the protein that humans consume, content, just like the muscles that are normally found
proving it to be an inefficient food production in animals. Certain companies have incorporated the
use of bioreactors to encourage larger scale growth of
such muscle fibers. Current research is also looking into
combining fat cells into the layers to produce a more
authentic meat flavor, since muscle cells alone will be
rather tasteless, very tough and chewy.