Can Cultivated Foods Be the Cure-All for Food Sustainability?

This article aims to explore the question: can cultivated foods serve as the ultimate answer to the dilemmas of food sustainability? To offer a comprehensive understanding of the subject, the following sections will delve into the prospects, obstacles, and outlook of cultivated foods.

Commencement

Food is fundamental for human existence and welfare, yet it presents significant hurdles for the environment, fauna, and society. As stated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), animal farming contributes to approximately 14.5% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions[i], utilizes 26% of global land, accounts for 32% of global freshwater usage, and occupies 78% of global agricultural land.

Furthermore, animal farming is associated with various moral, health, and food security concerns, including animal distress, zoonotic ailments, antibiotic resistance, and food wastage. In this context, cultivated foods emerge as a promising substitute for traditional meat production.

Cultivated foods refer to food items produced by culturing animal cells in vitro, rather than from slaughtered animals. The process involves extracting a small sample of cells from a living animal, such as a cow, chicken, or fish, and cultivating them in a bioreactor with a nutrient-rich medium. The cells can then be harvested and processed into various products, such as burgers, nuggets, or fillets. Cultivated foods have been acclaimed as a potential solution to the challenges of food sustainability, as they could offer multiple environmental, moral, health, and food security advantages. Nevertheless, cultivated foods also encounter numerous technical, economic, social, and regulatory obstacles before gaining widespread availability and acceptance.

The Potential of Cultivated Foods

Environmental Influence:

One of the primary benefits of cultivated foods is their capacity to mitigate the environmental impacts of animal farming. Several studies have compared the environmental effects of cultivated foods and traditional meat production. Early studies suggest that cultivated foods could substantially decrease greenhouse gas emissions, land usage, water consumption, and pollution from animal farming. For example, a 2011 study[ii] estimated that cultivated beef could diminish greenhouse gas emissions by 78-96%, land usage by 99%, and water usage by 82-96%, in contrast to traditional beef production. Likewise, a 2015 study[iii] projected that cultivated poultry could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54-75%, land usage by 76-99%, and water usage by 53-96%, compared to traditional poultry production.

Nevertheless, a more recent study[iv] in 2019 implemented a more stringent methodology to compare the emissions of cultivated beef to cattle production using a climate model that simulates the distinct behaviors of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, instead of relying on carbon dioxide equivalent measurements. It indicated that cultivated meat emissions, primarily carbon dioxide-based, result in less warming than cattle initially, but this disparity diminishes in the long term as methane emissions from cattle production do not accrue as significantly as carbon dioxide.

Food Safety and Stability:

Another advantage of cultivated foods is their potential to enhance animal welfare, food safety, and food security. By manufacturing meat without slaughtering animals, cultivated foods could avert the suffering and demise of billions of animals annually. Furthermore, cultivated foods could diminish the incidence of zoonotic ailments, such as avian flu or mad cow disease, and antibiotic resistance, as they could be produced in sterile conditions without antibiotic necessity. Additionally, cultivated foods could bolster food security by furnishing a more steadfast and resilient protein source that is less susceptible to climate fluctuations, disease outbreaks, or geopolitical tensions.

Multiple companies and products are innovating and commercializing cultivated foods across the globe. For instance, a Singaporean company fabricates cultivated chicken nuggets sanctioned for sale by the Singapore Food Agency. A US-based company manufactures cultivated seafood products from fish cells. An Israel-based company produces cultivated steak from bovine cells. These instances demonstrate that cultivated foods are not merely a theoretical concept, but a tangible and active reality.

The Obstacles of Cultivated Foods

Despite the potential advantages of cultivated foods, they encounter numerous technical, economic, social, and regulatory impediments that must be surmounted before attaining widespread availability and approval. Some of these challenges include:

Technical:

Cultivated foods necessitate advanced biotechnology and engineering to produce top-notch products at large scales. Present constraints encompass elevated production expenses, limited scalability, lack of variety, and consumer perception. For instance, a study estimated that the production cost of cultivated beef was approximately $11 per burger in 2015, significantly exceeding traditional beef prices. Another study reported that the maximal production capacity of cultivated poultry was roughly 1 ton per year in 2019, considerably below the global demand for poultry meat. An additional significant challenge is that most cultivated foods are confined to ground or minced products, such as nuggets or patties, while producing whole cuts, like steaks or fillets, remains arduous. Conversely, consumer acceptance of cultivated foods varied depending on product type, provided information, and cultural context, with some consumers expressing reservations regarding the taste, safety, and naturalness of cultivated foods.

Financial:

Cultivated nourishment needs to rival customary meat products concerning cost, excellence, and convenience. Various factors impacting the economic feasibility of cultivated nourishment include the expenditure of inputs, such as cells, media, and bioreactors, the effectiveness of production methods, such as cell growth, differentiation, and maturation, and the demand and supply of cultivated nourishment in the marketplace. For example, several creators stress to their investors that the expense of media constituted approximately 55-95% of the entire production expense of cultivated meat and that decreasing the media cost was vital for making cultivated meat more economical. Enhancing the efficiency of production methods that could decrease the energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions of cultivated meat and optimizing the biophysical parameters, such as temperature, pH, and oxygen levels, could improve the quality and yield of cultivated meat. Numerous investigators predict that the demand for cultivated meat would hinge on diverse factors, such as consumer preferences, income levels, population growth, and environmental consciousness, and that the supply of cultivated meat would hinge on the level of innovation, investment, and regulation in the industry.

Cultural:

Cultivated nourishment needs to earn societal approval and trust from several stakeholders, including consumers, producers, policymakers, researchers, and activists. Multiple elements affecting the societal approval and trust of cultivated nourishment include principles, convictions, inclinations, knowledge, and culture. For example, consumer research identified four primary values that molded consumer attitudes toward cultivated meat: naturalness, animal welfare, healthiness, and environmental sustainability. Religious convictions also impact the perception of cultivated meat among various faith groups, not to mention that cultural preferences influence the acceptance of cultivated meat across different regions. Additional discoveries were associated with how knowledge and information affect the willingness to experiment with cultivated meat among diverse consumer segments.

Statutory:

Cultivated nourishment needs to adhere to regulatory criteria and frameworks that assure their safety, excellence, and labeling. Numerous challenges that cultivated nourishment confronts concerning regulation encompass the absence of lucid definitions, the assortment of jurisdictions, and the unpredictability of outcomes. For example, specialists argue that there was no consensus on how to define cultivated meat among different stakeholders, and that this could generate confusion and ambiguity for consumers and regulators. They also likened how different countries and regions approached the regulation of cultivated meat and discovered significant discrepancies in terms of the regulatory bodies involved, the criteria utilized, and the timelines followed. Various scenarios could impact the regulatory endorsement of cultivated meat, indicating that there are several uncertainties and hazards involved in the process.

These obstacles manifest that cultured foods are not a simple or uncomplicated resolution to the challenges of food sustainability. They encompass numerous compromises and uncertainties that require thorough consideration.

Viewpoints on Cultivated Nourishment

Given the intricacy and divergence of the subject, it is unsurprising that there are varied perspectives and viewpoints on cultivated nourishment among diverse stakeholders. These viewpoints reflect not only the scientific facts and evidence about cultivated nourishment but also the principles, convictions, inclinations, knowledge, and culture of each stakeholder. Therefore, comprehending these outlooks and how they influence the development and acceptance of cultivated nourishment is crucial. Several examples of stakeholders who have expressed their perspectives on cultivated nourishment are:

Manufacturers:

These organizations are involved in producing or planning to produce cultured foods. They generally support cultured foods because they view them as a lucrative opportunity to meet the increasing demand for meat while mitigating the environmental impacts and ethical concerns related to animal agriculture. Additionally, they aim to enhance the quality and safety of their products by employing advanced biotechnology and engineering.

Customers:

These individuals consume or intend to consume cultured foods. Their attitudes toward cultured foods vary dynamically and diversely, depending on their values, beliefs, preferences, knowledge, and culture. Motivation for consumption may stem from factors such as environmental consciousness, animal welfare, health considerations, food security, curiosity, or novelty. Moreover, their levels of acceptance and willingness to try cultured foods may range from enthusiastic to skeptical to resistant.

Legislators:

These individuals formulate or influence the regulations governing cultured foods. They carry the responsibility of ensuring the safety, quality, and labeling of these products, as well as balancing the interests and needs of diverse stakeholders. Challenges they face include the absence of precise definitions, jurisdictional diversity, and uncertain outcomes. Additionally, their goals and priorities may vary, including promoting innovation, safeguarding consumers, supporting manufacturers, or preserving traditions.

Scholars:

These individuals engage in scientific or academic research on cultured foods. Their role involves generating and disseminating knowledge and evidence about cultured foods, and offering guidance and recommendations for their development and acceptance. Their research may focus on various aspects of cultured foods, such as technical feasibility, environmental impacts, ethical implications, social acceptance, or regulatory frameworks. Furthermore, their perspectives and opinions on cultured foods may differ based on their disciplines, methodologies, and values.

Advocates:

These individuals advocate for or against cultured foods based on their values, beliefs, or ideologies. Their ability to influence public opinion and policies on cultured foods is significant as they raise awareness, mobilize support, or confront opposition. Their agendas and strategies may differ, including advocating for animal rights, environmental sustainability, food justice, or cultural diversity. Their viewpoints and opinions on cultured foods also vary, contingent on their alignment or opposition to them.

These viewpoints demonstrate that cultured foods are not a neutral or objective subject, but rather a contentious and subjective one involving various stakeholders with divergent views and opinions.

Summary

In this piece, the potential, obstacles, and perspectives on cultured foods, a new approach to traditional meat production involving culturing animal cells in vitro, have been examined. Cultured foods could offer several environmental, ethical, health, and food security benefits, yet they encounter numerous technical, economic, social, and regulatory hurdles that must be surmounted before achieving widespread availability and acceptance. Cultured foods do not offer a simple or straightforward solution to the challenges of food sustainability; rather, they present a complex and uncertain endeavor involving various trade-offs and uncertainties that necessitate careful consideration. Undoubtedly, they are not a neutral or objective subject, but rather a controversial and subjective one involving various stakeholders with differing viewpoints and opinions.

As a result, the resolution to the primary inquiry of this article about whether cultured foods are the universal remedy for food sustainability is not a straightforward yes or no, but rather a nuanced response. It relies on how we define food sustainability, assess the impacts of cultured foods, compare them with other choices, handle their obstacles, engage with their stakeholders, and envisage their future. Consequently, instead of conclusively answering or suggesting, I cannot conclude this article. Instead, it is an encouragement for further research and action. If you are keen on discovering more or participating in cultured foods, some recommendations are provided below:

• Explore further about the scientific and technological aspects of cultured foods from credible sources.
• Experiment with some cultured food items if they are accessible in your locality or via the internet.
• Share your viewpoints and encounters with others through social media or online platforms.
• Contribute to surveys or experiments examining consumer acceptance of cultured foods.
• Back or become a member of organizations that advocate or produce cultured foods.
• Address or influence your policymakers to encourage or regulate cultured foods.
• Track or join the debates and conversations among various stakeholders on cultured foods.

The intention is that this article has supplied you with beneficial information and perspectives on cultured foods and has ignited your inquisitiveness and concern in this evolving subject. Thank you for reading!

Further readings:

Cultured Meat: Assurances and Obstacles | SpringerLink

Foods | Free Full-Text | Sustainable Future Protein Foods: The Obstacles and the Future of Cultivated Meat (mdpi.com)

Frontiers | How Cellular Agriculture Systems Can Promote Food Security (frontiersin.org)

[i] Sustainability | Free Full-Text | Emissions from Animal Agriculture—16.5% Is the New Minimum Figure (mdpi.com)

[ii] Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat Production | Environmental Science & Technology (acs.org)

[iii] Anticipatory Life Cycle Analysis of In Vitro Biomass Cultivation for Cultured Meat Production in the United States | Environmental Science & Technology (acs.org)

[iv] Frontiers | Climate Impacts of Cultured Meat and Beef Cattle (frontiersin.org)