THE FUTURE OF MEAT: EXPLORING CULTURED MEAT PRODUCTION

Biotechnology and food science have embarked on a quest for alternative protein sources to meet the increasing food demands due to global population growth. Thus, the foundations of cultured meat production also referred to in the literature by various names such as synthetic meat, clean meat, laboratory meat, and in vitro meat, were laid. Cultured meat is the transformation of stem cells taken from the embryos or muscle tissues of animals into edible biomass in a laboratory environment using advanced technological methods. It is thought that the cultured meat production technology can reduce some problems such as land degradation, resource scarcity, slaughter and post slaughter contamination risks, and greenhouse gas increase in traditional meat production, depending on the technique and scale of the production technology. A full harmony has not yet been achieved between the nutritional content and taste of traditional meat and cultured meat. Differences in production technology and inputs also lead to differences in content and taste. The transfer of cultured meat to the production sector depends on its economic suitability, standardization of production, long term health effects, and consumer acceptance. Consumer acceptance is also affected by cultural, religious, and ethical concerns, as well as the same reasons. It is thought that having knowledge about cultured meat will also increase the acceptance. In this review, articles on the historical development of cultured meat, production methods, advantages and disadvantages, consumer acceptance, and its future in the food industry were used.