Student Study Guide

Today, the technology necessary to culture cells for human consumption in the form of cell cultivated meat is developing at a rapid pace. Milestones to bring these products to market for consumer purchase are being achieved quickly, and media attention has dramatically increased. Still, there are many questions that need to be addressed before cell cultivated meat is ready for the dinner table. In addition to further development of the actual technology needed to produce cell cultivated meat, the safety of these products must be evaluated using the same rigorous standards applied to food today. A framework for the regulatory oversight of these products has been outlined, but as the technology improves, cell cultivated meat products may be developed that will, in turn, raise new questions to be answered with regulatory policy. The nutritional composition and sensory characteristics of cell cultivated meat will need to undergo appropriate scientific investigation to determine the true similarities or differences when compared with conventional meat. In 2012, it was published that for cultivated meat to be successful it needs to exactly mimic and recreate traditional meat in visual appearance, smell, texture, and taste (Post 2012). Finally, success of cell cultivated meat products will depend on consumer acceptability. As with any product made available in the market place, consumers will determine the ultimate success of that product. Chair: Dustin Boler, University of Illinois, Urbana.
Key Words: clean meat, cultured meat, lab meat, fake meat, in vitro meat

QTA2020-1, 16 pp., April 2020, Available free online.

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