We do not have clear data on the safety of cellular food, we lack knowledge about its impact on the environment, we know little about the level of greenhouse gas emissions, the cost remains high, while social acceptance remains low or average. Therefore, this type of food will not contribute to a balanced diet, as explained by Jean-Francois Hocquette from INRAE.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in cellular or laboratory-grown “meat”. As Jean-Francois Hocquette from INRAE explained during the 10th Beef Sector Forum, private research, government support, effective communication and public curiosity are responsible for this state of affairs. However, these products come with risks, such as a lack of transparency from private companies producing cell-based foods and uncertainties regarding carbon footprint and food safety.
What do we know and what should we know about cellular “meat”?
As the speaker emphasized, cellular “meat” is not meat from a biological point of view.
– These are just muscle fibers, and from a scientific point of view they are not meat. To become meat, muscles need to go through a maturation process, and in the case of cellular foods, instead of this process, there is a stage of replenishing the missing nutrients, said Hocquette. – Theoretically, this is supposed to recreate the composition of meat, but there are no studies on the digestibility of these nutrients – he added.
Are cell-based foods healthy?
The speaker, citing Belgian scientific research, mentioned that cellular food differs significantly from meat in terms of technological, sensory and nutritional properties.
– Theoretically, it has the same protein, fat and vitamin content, but it probably has lower saturated fat and cholesterol content and higher sodium content. However, what is particularly important is the lower iron content, which is the most important nutrient in red meat, the speaker explained.
The true impact of cellular “meat” on the environment
Cellular “meat” is often presented as a food with a lower carbon footprint, but the issue is not as simple as previous studies often did not take into account indirect emissions, Hocquette pointed out.
– So far, various studies have mainly taken into account direct emissions related to the process of producing cellular food, but indirect emissions, i.e. emissions before the start of the process and after its completion, have not been taken into account. Therefore, the environmental impact of cellular “meat” is most likely underestimated. Moreover, it is an energy-intensive process.
Where can you buy cellular “meat”?
Currently, the USA, Great Britain, China, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia are the leaders in the production of cellular food. The biggest challenge seems to be the production of cellular “meat” on a large scale.
Mobile products are approved for sale in three countries, i.e. Singapore, the USA and Israel. Applications have also been submitted in Great Britain and Switzerland, and the new targets of private companies are Australia and New Zealand, perhaps also China, as the speaker mentioned.
Is cellular meat safe?
In case of attempts to introduce cellular “meat” to the EU market, approval by the European Commission would be necessary based on the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in accordance with the Novel Foods Regulation.
“This is to ensure that new foods are safe to eat, which has not yet been demonstrated for cell-based foods,” Hocquette noted.
Another problem identified by the speaker would be the proper labeling of such products so as not to mislead consumers. Interestingly, research shows that the majority of surveyed consumers believe that it is not meat.
According to the results of the mentioned survey, only 8 percent respondents are willing to pay more for cellular food, and the vast majority of consumers (75%) also believe that the prices of cellular products should be lower or much lower than in the case of real meat.
The path to power over the food system?
The speaker also referred to the threats related to the potential development of the cellular food industry. He included, among others: aspects related to power, control of the food system and production transparency, but also potential impacts on the environment and jobs, and on farming and rural communities.
Hocquette emphasized that cellular food would require a large number of changes, and the most likely scenario may be a change in the direction of development towards hybrid products combining plant and animal proteins.
Cellular “meat” is not a sustainable food
Hocquette pointed out that, according to the FAO definition, sustainable food is based on four pillars, i.e. food safety, environmental, socio-cultural and socio-economic issues.
– We do not have clear data on the safety of cellular food, we lack knowledge about its impact on the environment, we know little about the level of greenhouse gas emissions, the cost is still high, while social acceptance remains at a low or average level. Therefore, this type of food will not contribute to a balanced diet, he explained.
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