Abdus Anwar April 03, 2018
out their essential functions necessary for muscle growth such as deposition of collagen in a
tight fiber between the anchors in the scaffolds. Research is ongoing as to whether cyclic
mechanical stretching or electrical stimulation promote muscle growth in culture (4).
Oxygenation in physiological conditions is carried out by myoglobin, which is a heme-
carrying protein that is likely responsible for the taste of meat. This protein is central to the
production of skeletal muscle because it oxygenates the tissues and gives them their red
color. Oxygenation of the tissue culture environment to promote maximal myoglobin
function is one of the big challenges of the process, especially at larger scales. It requires
the use of three-dimensional scaffolds that provide the suitable mechanical stresses for
proliferation, as well as innervation of the tissue with an oxygen supply (2). In order to scale
up the process of culturing meat, bioreactors with large production capacities as well as
large surface areas for sufficient tissue oxygenation would be required. One creative
solution to problem of oxygenation is the use of oxygen carriers in suspension which are
advantageous because they can oxygenate tissues without the use of fixed structures (5).
Sustainability and health
Humans have been domesticating livestock for comestible purposes for thousands of years
and as the demand for meat rises due to population growth and increasing incomes, so too
will the need for more sustainable means of meat production. It is expected that the demand
for meat will double between 1999 and 2050. Currently, the environmental impact of
comestible livestock is staggering. Of the global contribution, it's use constitutes 30% of
land, 8% of freshwater, and 18% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The sources of the
greenhouse gasses are deforestation, ruminant fermentation, and manure management (1)
Researchers performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) to glean the environmental impact of
large-scale cultured meat production. The study concluded that to produce 1000 kg of
cultured meat, it requires 26-33 GJ energy, 367-521 m3 water, 190-230 m2 land, and emits
1900-2240 kg CO2-eq GHG emissions. When compared to conventional meat production,
this is 7-45% lower energy use, 78-96% lower GHG emissions, 99% lower land use, and 82
- 96% lower water use. Thus, cultured meat is more environmentally friendly in every
respect. It is also important to note that this process will almost certainly become more
efficient as advances are made in tissue culture technology, thus further reducing the
environmental impact; the same cannot be said about factory farming (1). In fact, it appears
that conventional meat production is close to its maximum capacity due to it's 2-dimentional
use of land. Thus, food prices will continue to increase as land runs out. With the current
bioconversion rate of pigs and cattle being 15%, there a wide margin for improvement (2).
In terms of health, current meat production processes are highly susceptible to
contamination which is very conducive to the spread of animal-borne illnesses (1). This is
due to the meat's prolonged and frequent exposure to the external environment where it
can easily become contaminated by harmful pathogens such as avian and swine flu (2).
One study found that 120g of meat/day or 30g of processed meat/day would significantly
raise the relative risk of colorectal cancers. Growing meat in aseptic environments has the
potential to reduce these health risks by preventing contaminants that can infiltrate tissue
during the life of the animal and by contamination from fecal matter or blood components
