38 • URNER BARRY'S REPORTER / VOL. 18, NO. 4 / FALL 2023
Two start-up companies are attempting to end the age-old debate of whether the chicken or the
egg came first by outright eliminating the egg from the equation! In late June, Upside Foods and
Good Meat, gained approval from the United States Department of Agriculture, to begin selling
lab-grown, also known as "cell-cultivated," chicken. This was the first time that the U.S. has ever
issued the go-ahead on this type of product and is the result of a lengthy regulatory process that
both companies underwent in order to bring slaughter-free meat to the center of the plate.
This news also follows in the wake of the US Food and Drug Administration's voluntary pre-market
consultation, which evaluated each firm's production process and the cultured cell material
made during this process. Included was the evaluation of the establishment of cell lines
and cell banks, manufacturing controls, as well as all components and inputs.
So, how exactly is cell cultured meat produced? The first step in the process
is to extract a sample of cells from the animal. Although one could
theoretically select any animal species or breed from which to harvest
a cell sample, in this case, scientists will be centering their efforts
around heirloom breeds which are already used for traditional meat
production. Cell samples can be collected through minimally
invasive methods without causing any harm to the animal.
Some studies even suggest that embryonic stem cells, eggs,
feathers, muscles, and fats could eventually be used to
harvest starter cells.
The next step is to provide the cells with a living
environment. Cell cultivators, also referred to as
bioreactors, are typically stainless-steel tanks which
provide a clean, temperature-controlled environment
for the cells to grow and develop. These tanks typically
have a heating and cooling system, as well as input
and output pipes which deliver nutrients and air to the
culture, while also removing byproducts. Additionally,
the scientists rely on a number of sensors to monitor the
growing conditions within the vessel in order to make any
necessary adjustments. This system allows the cells to
duplicate quickly; increasing in size.
As alluded to above, the cells require nutrients to mimic
the biological process within the animal of origin. For that,
a growth media provides vitamins, minerals, amino acids,
trace elements, lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, which are
all essential for cell life. Once the required growing conditions
are met and the cells begin to replicate, scientists look to provide
the meat with the desirable structure, texture, and form through
the use of "scaffolds." Scaffolds help the cell culture grow with these
desired physical attributes in mind and can be made out of a number of
edible materials, such as plants and gelatin. The use of scaffolding is highly
dependent on the desired product. Burgers and nuggets, for example, would
require less structural material than a boneless breast.
From lab to table…
U.S. approves sale of cell
cultured chicken meat
©Dmitry Kovalchuk / Shutterstock.com