Scientists in white lab coats growing meat in laboratories may not be the image we conjure up when picturing sustainable food production. However, as the government is set to approve the sale of lab-grown meats in the UK within the next two years, I explain how this is the key to avoiding ecological collapse while satisfying increasingly food-savvy consumers.
Lab-grown meats, also known as cultured meats, are grown by taking animal cells and culturing them into meat products like burgers, steaks, and sausages within chemical plants. This bypasses the need for traditional farming methods such as rearing livestock.
These alternative meat products are one of the food industry’s ways of reducing the environmental impacts of food production while meeting increasing consumer demand for animal foods. Currently, meat and dairy production accounts for 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with soybean animal feed producing widespread deforestation. Conversely, lab-grown meats can be grown in space-effective factories that can convert plant protein much more efficiently into meat alternatives.
As a quick glance at a supermarket Meal Deal aisle will reveal, many UK consumers who are increasingly health and climate-conscious now opt for plant-based alternatives, going for a VLT (vegan bacon, lettuce and tomato) over a BLT. A study conducted by the Good Food Institute found that a quarter of consumers had bought some kind of plant-based food in 2023. However, when it comes to lab-grown meat consumption, the UK falls behind countries such as Singapore and some US states, where lab-grown meats have already been approved for sale since 2020.
The growth of lab-grown meats has not come without its challenges. In the US, the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, banned the sale of lab-grown meats to fight back against the “global elite’s plans to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs.” Italy has also banned lab-grown meats with the concern that they pose a risk to Italian agriculture and agribusinesses’ profits. Undoubtedly, there will be opposition to its introduction in the UK as well – overcoming these barriers will be key to making our food systems more sustainable.
As we embark on this transition, opening ourselves to alternative food sources will allow us to continue enjoying our favourite dishes with far less impact on the environment.