Artificial meat: Scientists make bacon on blades of grass
- 5 years ago
BATH, ENGLAND — A team of researchers from the University of Bath have developed bacon fibers using pig stem cells and blades of grass, reports the BBC.
First, they take a tissue sample from a pig and extract stem cells from the tissue. Stem cells have the capacity of turning into different kinds of cells including muscle, fat or ligaments. After the cells are isolated they are placed in a container for cultivation. They are then placed on blades of grass where they continue to grow into meat fibers.
Millions of muscle, fat and ligament cells are required to make a single fiber of bacon. This makes it difficult for cultured meat to be produced at a large scale and sold commercially.
Lab-grown meat is expensive. Back in 2013 a group of scientists in the Netherlands made the first lab-meat burger, and it cost over US$280,000 due to the time and effort that was needed to cultivate the cells.
Scientists are hoping this new method can be an alternative for the future of lab meat production.
According to the BBC, lab-grown meat won't be commercially available for at least five more years.
First, they take a tissue sample from a pig and extract stem cells from the tissue. Stem cells have the capacity of turning into different kinds of cells including muscle, fat or ligaments. After the cells are isolated they are placed in a container for cultivation. They are then placed on blades of grass where they continue to grow into meat fibers.
Millions of muscle, fat and ligament cells are required to make a single fiber of bacon. This makes it difficult for cultured meat to be produced at a large scale and sold commercially.
Lab-grown meat is expensive. Back in 2013 a group of scientists in the Netherlands made the first lab-meat burger, and it cost over US$280,000 due to the time and effort that was needed to cultivate the cells.
Scientists are hoping this new method can be an alternative for the future of lab meat production.
According to the BBC, lab-grown meat won't be commercially available for at least five more years.