Imagine a world where real meat is produced sustainably without breeding, raising, and slaughtering animals. This is no longer science fiction; it’s now within reach.
This 2020 Canadian documentary follows several amazing scientists bent on producing meat in the laboratory. It is their fierce determination to provide us with our longtime favorite food – meat in the form of chicken, beef, lamb, duck, and pork, but at the same time end the slaughter of thousands of animals, lower the amount of methane, reduce water and land used to accomplish that. While we are all well aware of plant-based “meat” in our groceries, appearing as hot dogs, hamburger patties, breakfast sausage, etc., “cultured” meat is probably foreign to many. The lead innovator in the fledgling company of scientists who set out to accomplish this is Dr. Uma Valeti. A native of India, Dr. Valeti, a cardiologist by training, could not shake the belief that edible meat could be “grown” from small brain stem tissue samples of appropriate cows, chickens, pigs, and ducks and brought into a lab. From these tiny tissue bits of cells, given the necessary components for growth and development, real meat could be grown that would taste exactly like the donor animal. Donor animals, unharmed, lives to donate another day! Valeti and his like-minded colleagues also toiled under a somewhat self-imposed timeline: by 2050, many scientists believe there won’t be enough land or workers to produce the meat that the world demands.
Valeti has a very soft approach to selling this concept to would-be donors. At first, the small group of five is forced to work in cramped quarters, but eventually, Bill Gates climbs on board, and quickly many other heavy wallets join him, including (strangely enough) Tyson Chicken. Manufacturing expands, facilities become bigger, and tasting parties appear.
The development of the “new” meat or “clean” meat is not immediately smooth sailing, but eventually, the company can produce meat that samplers say they can’t tell any difference from the “real” meat. As you can tell, it was difficult for the group to come up with a name for the newcomer. The “clean” meat runs about $1,800 a pound to produce! That has now become the primary goal: provide tasty meat that satisfies consumers but is easy to produce and competitively priced.
This documentary is beautifully detailed and laid out. It explains why this science is important, if not critical, if we consumers wish to continue our meat-laden dietary habits. Of course, the same could be accomplished if we all became vegans, though that might be even a harder sell for American diners. I have to say, I’m not as much of a meat-eater now as I was when I was younger. I told a friend once, “Every time I look at a steak, I think about the poor cow.” He responded, “Every time I look at a cow, I think about a steak.”
On the other hand, there is something creepy about cooking and eating chicken produced in a lab from just cells. And, what would happen to Wings, a football snack classic? Or any favorite meat that should be cooked bone-in say, short ribs or BBQ ribs?
I don’t expect this group will have met their lower cost goal in my lifetime. Then there’s always the problem of short-sighted folks who think it will never happen. My two hopes for Valeti and his Young Lions (no pun intended) is that it will happen because I see the need. I just hope it all comes together before there is a terrible meat shortage. Prices would rise exponentially, and there would be long lines and short tempers, which is never a good thing!
Now available on Digital and On-Demand
