Source: VIN News
Lab-grown meat, first showcased with a $300,000 burger in 2013, has progressed significantly, with a British company, Meatly, becoming the first to gain regulatory approval for lab-grown pet food. Despite high costs, Meatly aims for a 2024 launch, citing the product’s sustainability and humane production. Unlike lab-grown meat for humans, pet food doesn’t need a realistic meat texture, allowing for simpler, pâté-like products.
Meanwhile, U.S.-based Bond Pet Foods employs precision fermentation, a less costly method that produces meat protein without growing cells, potentially available by 2026. Both companies target the premium pet food market, emphasizing nutritional equivalency to traditional meat. Cost and consumer acceptance remain challenges, alongside questions of environmental impact. Lab-grown meat’s sustainability depends on energy sources, with studies presenting mixed findings. Although lab-grown pet food’s market remains uncertain, veterinarians show cautious optimism about its benefits, recognizing lab-grown meat as a potential, sustainable alternative.
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