The first-ever lab-grown burger was created at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and eaten at a news conference in London in 2013. While everyone who tried a bite had something different to say about the taste and texture of the meat, it was agreed that this could be the start of something big. The technology has advanced since, and now over 150 companies across the world are figuring out ways to culture meat.
The primary aim of the cultivated meat industry is quite simple. To significantly reduce the need to farm animals, feed a growing population and possibly tackle the climate crisis. So why hasn’t it taken the world by storm already?
Much of this is because novel products like cell-cultured meat are required to be approved by governing bodies that have regulations in place, to ensure that safety standards are met. According to Daan Luining, co-founder and CTO of Dutch cultivated meat company Meatable, if food laws are not adhered to, it can have disastrous consequences.
“We take food very seriously because everybody eats. I think that’s the bottom line. So you should be very careful what you’re feeding your population,” said Luining.
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