Section 1.1: Cultured Meat: A New Frontier

When discussing animal-free meat, we are not referring to plant-based alternatives like Impossible Burgers. Cultured meat is produced by cultivating muscle cells outside of an animal's body. It begins with an animal, such as a cow, from which stem cells are harvested, typically via a biopsy performed under anesthesia.

In animals, these cells multiply in response to stress or injury to regenerate muscle tissue, and a similar process is replicated in a lab setting. The harvested stem cells are placed in a nutrient-rich broth filled with amino acids and sugars, allowing them to proliferate. This means that a single animal can yield trillions of cells.

Once a sufficient number of stem cells have been cultivated, the differentiation phase can commence. At this stage, the growth conditions are adjusted to encourage the stem cells to transform into skeletal muscle cells. Mosa Meat states that by withholding certain growth factors, the cells will naturally differentiate.

After differentiation, the muscle cells are placed on a scaffold to help them form long strands. This step is crucial for replicating the fibrous texture of traditional meat. When the cells have fused into long fibers, the meat is nearly ready for sale and can then be shaped into patties, seasoned, packaged, and shipped.

While no products are currently available for purchase, companies like Memphis Meats and Mosa Meat are looking to enter the cultured meat market. In 2013, Mosa Meat co-founder Mark Post presented the first cultured burger, which had an astonishing production cost of $282,000. Meanwhile, Memphis Meats intends to utilize its Series B funding to establish a pilot manufacturing facility, aiming to introduce its products by 2021.

Section 1.2: Innovative Protein Sources

The next exciting development comes from Solar Foods, which has created Solein, a protein powder with a flour-like texture, claiming it is "literally born out of thin air." While this description is somewhat embellished, the process does require hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and proprietary yeast.

Solein is produced through a fermentation method that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generates hydrogen by applying an electric current to water. Both hydrogen and carbon dioxide serve as essential nutrients for the yeast, and some hydrogen also reacts with nitrogen from the air to produce ammonia, which provides additional nutrients.

The yeast absorbs these elements in large vats, along with a few vitamins and minerals. The yeast cells consume the hydrogen bubbles and carbon dioxide, resulting in a single-cell protein called Solein.

As a food scientist, I find it entirely plausible to harness microorganisms for food production. We already use specialized microbes for producing insulin and vitamin supplements; several vitamins, such as D, B6, and B12, are now exclusively created through microbial fermentation. It’s a natural progression to apply these technologies to food production.

Once Solein is separated from the yeast and dried, it resembles wheat flour in both taste and appearance. According to Solar Foods, its nutritional profile consists of over 50 percent protein, 20–25 percent carbohydrates, and 5–10 percent fat. Given its neutral flavor and color, Solein could theoretically be incorporated into almost any food product as a sustainable protein source, with plans for commercial production starting in 2021.

Frozen Treats Reinvented

Traditionally, cows are synonymous with ice cream. However, Perfect Day is changing the game by engineering yeast to produce dairy proteins that are identical to those from cows. This process involves using recombinant technology to insert a small piece of genetic material from a cow into the yeast's genetic code.

Thanks to the universality of DNA, these microorganisms can interpret the cow's genetic instructions for protein production. Although these yeast are genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the proteins they create do not contain the modified DNA, meaning they aren't subject to labeling as bioengineered foods under current regulations.

When the yeast is fed sugar, it produces the two primary proteins in milk: whey and casein. The proteins are then extracted and dried into a powder. Remarkably, the proteins produced by the yeast are chemically identical to those derived from cows, matching in texture, flavor, and nutritional content.

For allergy considerations, Perfect Day's ice cream must indicate that it "contains milk," despite it being cow-free, which has led to confusion regarding labeling.

Perfect Day launched its "flora-based dairy protein" last July in three ice cream flavors: vanilla salted fudge, milky chocolate, and vanilla blackberry toffee, but the initial offering was limited to just 1,000 orders. Despite the price tag of $20 per pint, the product sold out within hours.

Consumers who managed to sample Perfect Day's cow-free frozen desserts took to the internet to share their thoughts, generally praising the creamy texture and taste that closely mimicked traditional ice cream. Perfect Day aims to extend its offerings to various dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, although they have not yet announced future launch dates.

Lab-Grown Alternatives: The Future of Infant Nutrition

A new contender in the debate between breastfeeding and formula is emerging: cultured breast milk. Turtle Tree Labs and Biomilq are both investigating methods to produce milk from living, lactating cells.

Turtle Tree Labs employs animal mammary gland cells that thrive in a nutrient broth to produce milk, which is then filtered from the solution. Biomilq claims to have a cleaner process that utilizes human mammary gland cells for direct collection.

Both companies aim to offer a superior alternative to existing formulas, which are often based on cow's milk or soy protein. These substitutes typically lack crucial components found in mother's milk, such as disease-fighting antibodies, infection-fighting white blood cells, beneficial bacteria, and digestive enzymes.

Biomilq plans to fill this gap with its cultured breast milk, which has recently tested positive for key components of breast milk—human casein and lactose. Although additional molecular tests are necessary to identify other essential components, Biomilq believes it is on track to replicate the thousands of nutritional and protective elements present in mother’s milk.

Ultimately, the acceptance of foods produced through cellular agriculture hinges on consumer willingness to embrace these innovations. So, with this insight into how these foods are created, we pose the question: Would you eat a steak that didn’t come from a real cow?