Lab-grown meat is produced by growing animal cells in a laboratory. The concept of lab-grown meat originated in the early 2000s, with the first successful lab-grown burger being created in 2013. Lab-grown meat has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of traditional meat production and address ethical concerns related to animal welfare. One disadvantage of lab-grown meat is that it is currently more expensive to produce than traditional meat, and there are concerns about its safety and long-term effects on human health.
Opponents of lab-grown meat include PETA, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Tyson Foods. One controversy surrounding lab-grown meat is the ethical concerns surrounding the use of fetal bovine serum in the production process. Fetal bovine serum is a nutrient-rich liquid derived from the blood of fetal cows that is commonly used in cell culture and other biological research applications. The use of fetal bovine serum in scientific research has been controversial due to ethical concerns surrounding the treatment of animals and the potential for contamination of research samples.
Proponents of lab-grown meat include Bruce Friedrich, Mark Post, and Uma Valeti. There are also books on the topic, such as "The Meat Question" by Josh Schonwald and "Clean Meat" by Paul Shapiro.