The Not-So-Dystopian Future of Lab-Grown Food on Our Plates

Many science fiction stories about dystopian societies with climate disasters involve some sort of synthetic meat grown in tanks on a large scale in an attempt to feed a hungry world. But is lab-grown food just a figment of our imagination forever, destined to remain a product of science fiction? Or could it soon be available as a mainstream product? 

As biotechnology advances, the ability to manipulate living organisms like bacteria for benefit grows. Just like the development of synthetic insulin has increased the quality of life of diabetic individuals, the biotech industry has turned its attention towards creating cultured or clean meat to limit the environmental impact of the meat industry [1]. The process begins with isolating stem cells from animal muscles and uses a bioreactor to grow the cell samples into tissue fibers and eventually muscle tissues [2]. According to a biotechnology company that is investigating the culturing of meat, the process could theoretically yield up to 20,000 pounds of meat from a simple muscle biopsy [2]. The process of growing meat in bioreactors has been independently examined by various biotech startups in the United States with some companies venturing out to culture other meat products such as pork and fish [2]. 

Now, let’s address the elephant (or cow?) in the room. How would this cultured meat taste? Reports from biotech companies report that the meat tastes fairly similar to normal meat as the fat and muscle tissue composition is closely monitored in the culturing process to ensure that the synthetic meat is as similar as possible to real meat [3]. 

There are many obstacles that cultured meat producers must overcome before the products will be available for mass consumption, including FDA approval [1]. However, cultured chicken products made their debut for public consumption at restaurant 1880 in Singapore to much fanfare [3].

Although modern biotechnology could support the mass production of cultured meats, there are many legal and social barriers that need to be addressed before we see lab grown meat on our plates. Despite the many obstacles that are in the way of cultured meat production, science continues to advance, and we may be eating cultured meat from the serveries before we know it. 

References

1. Rogers, K. Lab-grown meat could make strides in 2022 as start-ups push for U.S. approval https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/23/lab-grown-meat-start-ups-hope-to-make-strides-in-2022.html (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

2. Lab-Grown Meat - Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lab-grown-meat/ (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

3. Lab-Grown Meat Could Feed the Planet | Time https://time.com/6109450/sustainable-lab-grown-mosa-meat/ (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

4. Lab-grown meat’s promise for cutting climate warming depends on an… https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/news/cultured-meat-climate-impact/ (accessed 2022 -03 -12).

The Paleo Diet: Good or Bad?

In today’s world, everyone seems to be searching for a simple, sustainable, and healthy, yet tasty diet. Often, there are advertisements that claim that they have discovered a “new secret formula” that makes weight loss and good health quick and easy, yet as most people know, these diets are often too good to be true. There is, however, one diet that has been around since the dawn of humanity: the paleo diet. The paleo diet has endured hundreds of thousands of years of testing, yet it has stuck around. What makes the paleo diet so special?

First, let us address what a paleo diet is. It’s based on the foods that early humans most likely would’ve eaten. This includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Some foods to avoid are grains, legumes, dairy products, refined sugar, and processed foods in general [1]. The goal of the paleo diet is to return to a diet that is similar to what our ancestors ate thousands of years ago. The idea behind it is that our bodies are still genetically programmed to match a hunter-gatherer society, so we are mismatched to modern society’s diet [2]. This mismatch arose because of how much more rapidly agriculture evolved in comparison to our genome, leaving no room for our bodies to adapt to the changing conditions. By going back to our ancient diet, we are feeding our bodies the foods that it was meant to eat. 

Short term studies with the paleo diet have found beneficial effects: lower body mass index (BMI), lower blood pressure, lower triglycerides, healthier microbiome, mental clarity, reduced acne, and better appetite management overall [2]. These studies indicate that on a short-term basis, the paleo diet can provide numerous benefits. 

However, on the long-term basis, a couple concerns arise. As the paleo diet restricts intake of certain food groups, vitamin/mineral deficiencies can develop. For example, the diet excludes dairy products, a great source of calcium and Vitamin D, both of which are critical to bone health. In one study, researchers found that participants who followed the paleo diet had an average of 50% of the recommended daily intake of calcium [3]. Furthermore, while meats are a primary source of protein in the paleo diet, they are also high in saturated fats, which can result in elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in the long term. 

Although the paleo diet has been around for millions of years, it’s most definitely not the “perfect diet.” While it can provide amazing health benefits, it can also increase the risk of certain diseases over an extended period of time. What’s most important is that your diet is balanced, which can be met through a variety of eating habits. 

References

1. Paleo diet: Eat like a cave man and lose weight? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182 (accessed Oct 18, 2020).

2. Health benefits of the Paleo diet https://www.brightwatermedicalcentre.com.au/health-benefits-of-the-paleo-diet.html (accessed Oct 18, 2020).

3. Lawler, M.; Cdces, L. G. R. Paleo diet short- and long-term effects to expect https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/paleo-diet/potential-short-long-term-effects-paleo-diet/ (accessed Oct 18, 2020).

4. Paleo diet [Image]. https://static.parade.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/paleo-diet-FTR.jpg (accessed Oct 25, 2020).