The production of cultured meat, sometimes known as “clean meat”, “lab-grown” or “cultivated meat”, is on the rise. Derived from live animal cells, this is not a meat alternative, it’s real meat, yet no animals need to be slaughtered to make it.
Still in its infancy, research into the benefits and potential risks of cellular agriculture continues to be conducted, as the industry attempts to better understand this largely untapped area of food production. Yet there is already a significant market interest, namely because of it’s potential to offer a more humane and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional meat farming.
Current statistics reveal that “Animal agriculture is responsible for more than three-quarters of agricultural land use, 11-20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and more than 30% of global methane emissions” (World Resources Institute), highlighting an urgency to look for alternative farming practices.
Despite the cultivated meat industry having been active for over a decade, it’s been a recent decision for it to be approved for consumption in Australia. In fact, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) took two years to make assessments before announcing their decision on June 18, 2025.
The journey to market for cultured meat goes back a few years. In 2020, Singapore became the first country to authorise the sale of cell-cultivated meat for human consumption. The US followed suit three years later, with Israel next in line to take the leap in early 2024.
How is cultured meat made?
The production process can be broken down into a few steps.
Stem cells are collected from a live animal. These cells are placed in large tanks, called bioreactors, containing an environment similar to the animal’s body, providing them with the nutrients they need to multiply.
At this point an ‘unstructured’ meat product is cultivated, and the next step is to ‘shape’ the meat into recognisable products, such as meatballs, nuggets or burger patties. Using a process known as ‘scaffolding’, the animal cells are separated and rearranged to build individual meat products. The process can take multiple weeks to complete, depending on the type of product being created.
What are the benefits?
Ethical considerations – RSPCA Australia have reported that “In Australia, every year, around 600 million animals are slaughtered for food.” Since cultivated meat eliminates the need for animal slaughter, it puts forward a significant potential solution to address animal suffering in traditional meat farming.
Reduced disease risk – By removing animals from the equation, cultivated meat has the potential to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases that can jump from animals to humans. In addition to this, the sterile facilities in which cultured meat is developed, diminishes the risk of disease spread in conventional factory farms, where animals are forced into close proximity to each other and disease has the opportunity to spread quickly.
Antibiotics are also avoided, which are commonplace to combat disease in traditional meat farming. The controlled environments of cultured meat labs reduce the prevalence of bacteria and potential contaminants found in conventional meat.
Environmental impact – PETA Australia reveal that “The use of animals for meat and dairy causes twice as much pollution as producing plant-based foods.” Cultivated meat is not plant-based, but its manufacturing processes provide similar alternative resolutions that of plant-based food production.
“If we combine pastures used for grazing with land used to grow crops for animal feed, livestock accounts for 77% of global farming land (World Economic Forum).
Making the switch to lab-grown meat and leaning towards more plant-based farming practices will undoubtedly form their own footprint on the natural environment. However, the colossal impact of reclaiming land currently used for livestock farming in favour of alternative, more sustainable, agriculture cannot be ignored.
A feast of exploration
Australian cultivated meat company Vow, cofounded by George Peppou and Tim Noakesmith, have set about reimagining the way the current market defines lab-grown meat. Introducing the premium brand Forged, this is cultured meat on an entirely new level, combining innovation with the art of fine dining.
Forged’s range of products include a decadent whipped pâté, sumptuous foie gras, delectable crumbed croquettes, and a rich smoky spread, all derived from Japanese cultured quail.
Forged have not just mastered the art of creating photo-worthy dishes, they’ve also cleverly used language to retell the scientific journey of cultivated meat production, transforming it into an entirely new narrative. This is delicious storytelling, used specifically to seduce the senses and tempt the imagination.
“We start by selecting the best cells, just like choosing the perfect seed for a crop or the best feed for your herd” they say. “The cells are then transferred to a large fermentation tank to nourish in this warm, nutrient-rich broth. It’s like feeding a sourdough starter – with the right environment, they grow and multiply naturally.
“Once they’ve grown, we separate them from the broth, much like skimming curds from whey in cheesemaking. Then we hand our meat to our chefs, and they become the foundation of our delicious products.”
Vow are no strangers to drawing attention. In 2023, they revealed their ingenious creation of ‘The Meatball’, made from cells of the extinct Woolly Mammoth, wiped out of existence 5000 years ago. These feats are designed not just in a quest for scientific discovery, but also to serve a purpose in raising awareness of the mind-boggling achievements that are possible in cultured meat production.
In an article reporting on the event at the time, Vow co-founder and director Tim Noakesmith explained that “Vow’s mission was to feed billions of humans and change people’s concept of what meat is and what it can be [with the need to] radically change how we produce food, and start eating for tomorrow” (Food and Drink Business).
Concerns worth chewing over
Cultured meat seems to have opened up a new world of opportunity, but it should be noted that this is still an unworn path, scattered with risks and challenges. Some of the issues facing the industry include:
High costs and scalability – At present, the process of producing cultivated meat carries a high price tag. Highly specialised equipment, such as bioreactors, are expensive, and despite continuous technological advancements enabling costs to decrease, there is still some way to go before the process can become a competitor in the market.
Environmental impact – Despite offering a promising potential to free up the vast areas of agricultural land currently used for livestock farming, cultured meat produces its own environmental impact. Current energy requirements are high, and the overall carbon footprint is still a topic of ongoing debate.
Safety concerns – Cultured cells are vulnerable to infections and mutations without the protection of an animal’s immune system, raising potential food safety issues. Meanwhile, the long-term impacts of consuming cultivated meat on human health are not yet fully understood. Further study and regulation will be required before it could become a food product widely available on the mainstream market.
So, does it cultured meat deserve a place at the table?
The jury’s still on this one. At present it’s unclear whether the cultivated meat industry can sustain itself long-term or even deliver fully on it’s potential. Advancements are progressing all the time, with production costs continuing to drop as specialised equipment becomes increasingly more accessible.
If brands like Forged continue to make headlines, they’ll pave the way for lab-grown meat to place itself more prominently on the culinary map. However, there’s still a way to go before consumers will begin to see cultured beef patties on supermarket shelves with an affordable price tag.
At this stage it seems more about embracing an opportunity. “Meat production at its current levels is unsustainable. Feeding the world’s population in 2050, which is expected to hit 10 billion, will require a 70% increase in global food production that will be detrimental to the environment” (Food Dive).
Lab-grown meat may not be the perfect solution just yet, but with forecasts like this in mind it’s certainly worth having a taste.
Forged will be showcasing their products at Fine Food Australia, taking place at the ICC, Sydney 8-11 September 2025.
If you’ve registered to attend, make sure to pop by and try a sample and keep up with them on their socials.