Cultured Meat: Promises and Challenges

2021/03/19 by Nicolas Treich · 274 citations
Environmental Science · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact #Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability #Environmental Impact and Sustainability #Meat packing industry #Business #Animal welfare #Welfare #Biotechnology #Natural resource economics #Economics #Food science #Biology #Market economy #Ecology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s10640-021-00551-3

published in Environmental and Resource Economics 79(1), 33-61 (Springer Science+Business Media)

openalex publication_date 2021/03/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06

Abstract

Cultured meat involves producing meat from animal cells, not from slaughtered animals. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the meat industry, with wide implications for the environment, health and animal welfare. The main purpose of this paper is to stimulate some economic research on cultured meat. In particular, this paper includes a prospective discussion on the demand and supply of cultured meat. It also discusses some early results on the environmental impacts of cultured meat, emphasizing the promises (e.g., regarding the reduction in land use) but also the uncertainties. It then argues that cultured meat is a moral improvement compared to conventional meat. Finally, it discusses some regulatory issues, and the need for more public support to the innovation.

Citations

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Cited by

• Sustainable food system [wikipedia]