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Lab-Grown Burgers, Anyone?

Photo Credit: New Straits Times

Lab-grown meat is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality.

It was made possible six years ago at the price of $280,000. Certainly not something you are going to find on the dollar menu! But, European start-ups say that it could be on the shelves for $10 in two years.

People are becoming more and more concerned with protecting our environment and clean meat is a big step toward doing that. Clean meat would help with protecting animals, climate change and our own health. How is this possible?

According to reports, in order to make this kind of meat, stem cells from the muscle of an animal are placed in a culture medium that is then put into a bioreactor. Bioreactors are used to support the growth of new strands of muscle tissue. It is commonly used in the fermentation of yogurt and beer.

Plant-based meat alternatives are thriving right now. Shares in Beyond Meat have more than tripled in price since May. Plant-based meat is being sold to retailers and fast food chains across the United States. People are very concerned about their health and the safety of animals, which is driving its popularity.

As the lab-grown meat market works on getting their price point to be affordable to the consumers, skeptics are not believing all the hype. John Lynch, an environmental scientist at the University of Oxford is concerned that lab-grown meat can’t really convert energy and nutrients into meat more efficiently than our conventional meat. He believes more energy will be required instead of conventional livestock production and wonders where that energy will be coming from.

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