Is it really meat?

Eat Just is a US start-up which makes chicken in a lab from real chicken cells grown in bioreactors. It is known as cultivated meat intended to provide consumers with slaughter-free protein and massively reduce the environmental impact of livestock rearing. It is stated to be the 'future of meat'.

Eat Just was authorised in Singapore to sell its product in 2020. Soon after, neighbouring Malaysia imposed a chicken ban. Surely Eat Just swept up the demand for chicken in Malaysia with its product?

Unfortunately not because it could not scale up production sufficiently. It is a difficult and complex way to create meat and the companies in this space are only just getting to grips with how to produce it on a big scale.

However, once the cultivated chicken or beef is available to consumers will they buy it or still hanker after the real meat? What about vegans, who are against eating meat because of animal cruelty and the harm farming animals does to the environment, will they suddenly start eating cultivated meat?

No doubt there is a market for cultivated meat but might it create a campaign for 'Real Meat' akin to the beer market and the campaign for 'Real Ale'?

In any event, anything which can be done to help the climate and the planet should be applauded and let's hope these start-ups survive long enough to provide a real alternative to farmed meat.