Meet the New Meat; Biofabrication of Animal Proteins

Meat biofabrication shakes the very foundations of the modern day food industry. Its far-reaching applications surpassing that of the mere Costco veggie burger. In vitro meat production systems (IMPS) yield a great deal of possibility for the plant-based market (Bhat, 2011). The popularization of this technology will benefit not just those with dietary restrictions but also the world as a whole.

The livestock industry employs over 1.3 billion people and is responsible for the livelihoods of countless more (Steinfeld et al., 2006). Simultaneously a solution to malnourishment and the underlying cause of the global obesity crisis (Steinfeld et al., 2006), the modern livestock industry has no shortage of pitfalls. The World Health Organization (2001) reported that cardiovascular diseases and diabetes resulting from the overconsumption of animal products are responsible for one third of global mortality. Expansion of livestock farms is both a threat to biodiversity and the global climate. This expansion brings along with it the ever-present threat of zoonosis, the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans, as these farms become closer in proximity to urban areas. Both the single-largest user of arable land and the biggest contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases into the environment (Steinfeld et al., 2006), more than that attributable to transportation, the livestock industry is a significant player in anthropogenically-sourced climate change.

With a global population projected to reach 9.8 billion people in 2050 (United Nations, 2017), there has never been a better time for in vitro meat production systems to be incorporated into modern society. The first challenge? To create an effective imitation of the dietary staple. Two factors necessary for an imitation to be widely adopted in the global market are mimicry and efficiency (Post, 2012). The final product needs to resemble conventional meat products in every way possible: presentation, texture, size, you name it. Currently this technology exists, but in limited capacities, and much like any innovation in the early stages, the most significant roadblock that has yet to be overcome is the high prohibitive cost of production (Bhat, 2011). Figure 1 shows the extent of current technology. Artificial meat can indeed be generated on a small scale. 

While the benefits of such technology are abundant, how is such a feat of biotechnology accomplished? There are three different techniques currently in use, the scaffolding method, the creation of cell cultures on the premise of self-organization, and tissue culturing (Post, 2012), all are effective to some degree in producing complex living and non-living biological products. Biofabrication of meat can be divided into two distinct stages; the proliferation stage and the differentiation stage (Post, 2012). The process of scaffolding is the most commonplace. It begins with the proliferation of adult skeletal cells, which are then attached to a collagen mesh network, and finally perfused in a culture medium (Bhat, 2011). These cells then differentiate into myotubes, which are further differentiated into myofibers, which can then be harvested and consumed as meat (Bhat, 2011). The consistency of the final product, whether it is “boneless”  or more “steak-like” is entirely dependent on the medium that the culture is grown in (Post, 2012). Current problems relating to tissue engineering are the lack of fat marbling and vascularization, both of which greatly contribute to the suitably-tasting features of meat (Post, 2012).

The biofabrication of meat presents a sustainable solution to the growing demand for livestock. Large scale production and market penetration will greatly reduce operating costs, and will popularize such technology internationally. While there is much work still to be done in order to accurately mimic current meat products, there is change on the horizon, and the steaks have never been higher.

Works Cited

Bhat, H., 2011. Animal-free Meat Biofabrication – American Journal of Food Technology. [pdf] Available at: <https://scialert.net/fulltextmobile/?doi=ajft.2011.441.459> [Accessed 14 November 2018].

Post, M.J., 2012. Cultured meat from stem cells: Challenges and prospects. Meat Science, 92(3), pp.297–301. [online] Available at: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174012001210> [Accessed 14 November 2018].

Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P., Wassenaar, T.D., Castel, V., Rosales M., M. and Haan, C. de, 2006. Livestock’s long shadow: environmental issues and options. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. [pdf] Available at: <http://www.fao.org/3/a-a0701e.pdf> [Accessed 14 November 2018].

United Nations, 2017. Projected World Population in 2015. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. [online] Available at: <https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2017.html> [Accessed November 19 2018].

WHO, 2001. Global Burden of Disease Estimates for 2001. World Health Organization, Geneva. [online] Available at: <http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/estimates_regional_2001/en/> [Accessed 14 November 2018].