How Long Will Lab Grown Meats Take?

A year since the tasting of the first cultured hamburger meat, we may now be within seven years of an actual product according to Dr Mark Post (project manager of "in vitro meat"). Although it is unlikely that the laboratory grown meat will be available initially, the possibility of product being a reality is one step closer now that Google co-founder Sergey Brin has invested in the project. So why is it taking so long to produce a man-made meat that looks and tastes like real meat? The problem comes down to both price and fat content. Fat is actually what makes meat juicy. It also gives meat its distinctive coloring. Past attempts to create an edible product have relied on food coloring. The fat required to replicate both the taste and coloring is a more complex molecule that will require further research. With many expressing a willingness to pay a little more for meat produced humanely, the laws of supply and demand will likely reduce costs as increasing supply to meet demand will ultimately lead to excess driving costs down.

This is exciting news for those who care about animal rights. The backing of the project by billionaire Sergey Brin and other notables marks a turning point in the research. Prior to recent events, only a handful of scientists were working on similar projects but today over 30 laboratories around the world are trying to develop cultured meats. Though progress cannot come soon enough for many, inside surveillance of what goes on in slaughterhouses keeps us ever hopeful that these days are now numbered.