Cultured meat made for the masses

US - Meat from the lab directly to the table is still in an experimental stage right now, but a team of scientists have jumped ahead of the crowd by indicating how it might be done on an industrial scale.

A team of scientists led by university of Maryland doctoral student Jason Matheny, propose how companies could mass produce cultured meat using scientific techniques to create a product that is healthier than the real thing.

Food companies could then target the growing market for healthier, lower-fat foods and also meet the growing demand for meat in developing markets. Cultured meat would also appeal to consumers concerned about food safety, the environment and animal welfare, and those who want to tailor food to their individual tastes, Matheny stated.

He even suggests that meat makers may one day sit next to bread makers on the kitchen counter.

"There would be a lot of benefits from cultured meat," Matheny stated. "For one thing, you could control the nutrients. For example, most meats are high in the fatty acid Omega 6, which can cause high cholesterol and other health problems. With in vitro meat, you could replace that with Omega 3, which is a healthy fat."

In a paper published by Tissue Engineering the scientists say two new techniques used in tissue engineering could one day lead to affordable production of in vitro — lab grown — meat for human consumption.

Source: Food Production Daily.com
calendar icon 12 July 2005
clock icon 1 minute read
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