Cultivated meat

Animal meat produced by growing animal cells in bioreactors instead of raising and slaughtering animals.

• A small cell sample is multiplied in a nutrient broth of sugars, amino acids and growth factors, then harvested and formed into food.
• Growth factors, the signalling proteins cells need to multiply, were historically the costliest ingredient; cheaper engineered versions now exist.
• Singapore approved sales in 2020 and the US in 2023, but several US states have since banned it.
• Cost and scale remain far from conventional meat; mince-like products are feasible, but a steak needs scaffolds and internal nutrient delivery.