It may sound a bit far-fetched but animal farming could soon become a thing of the past thanks to a new advancement in food-technology pioneered by a San Francisco-based startup.
In a country that consumes an average of ninety pounds of chicken meat a year, this development could change the $200 billion meat industry for good.
Scientists at Memphis Meats have been working with poultry cells for a few years and in March they finally revealed the results of their secret "clean meat" project.
The team of researchers unveiled the world's first petri dish cultivated chicken.
That's right! Lab-grown chicken meat is officially a thing. The chicken was created from "self-reproducing poultry cells in a lab without eggs or any harm to birds."
The food startup held a taste test event where chefs prepared the chicken strips for a few brave individuals who were invited try the meat. They also took that opportunity to unveil lab-created duck meat.
According to the Journal, those who had the chance to try the chicken said it tasted just like the real thing and they would definitely eat it again.
Now I'm not quite sure what to make of that. I've been on the keto diet for over a year now and I know my meat. I advise you to visit Best Hunting Advice and sharpening up your meat knives before rushing out to buy any self-reproducing poultry cells.
That being said, t seems like they aren't the only ones on board with "clean meat." Animal-welfare activists including PETA wholeheartedly support Memphis Meats. In fact, PETA is listed as one of the funders of the project and they're "very much in favor of anything that reduces or eliminates the slaughterhouse," said Ingrid Newkirk, the group's president.
Before Memphis Meat's reveal, Netherlands-based Mosa Meat created beef made with bovine cells extracted from a cow muscle through a harmless biopsy.
You won't be seeing lab-grown meats on your dinner plate just yet but Memphis Meats wants to make their "clean" chicken available by 2021.
Would you eat a lab-grown meat? Share your thoughts in the comments!
