Happy Wednesday! Today we're talking about lab-grown meat and eggs - we’ve seen some circulating videos chatting about people both praising this technology and others being horrified. A few of you have also asked for our opinions on lab-grown meat and eggs, and whether they have the same health benefits. Read for a breakdown of the difference between cultivated and plant-based alternatives to meats and eggs, health differences, our takes, and more.
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What Are Lab-Grown Meats and Eggs?
The most important thing to understand is that lab-grown meat and lab-grown eggs aren’t the same kind of technology. And more importantly - lab grown eggs in whole chicken eggs do not exist, contrary to a widely spread video from an AI account that garnered more than 6 million views.
There are also some important distinctions between cultivated meat, precision-fermented egg proteins, and plant-based meat and egg substitutes.
Lab-grown meat, more accurately called cultivated or cell-cultured meat, is real animal meat grown from animal cells rather than obtained by raising and slaughtering an entire animal.
The process generally works like this:
Scientists collect a small sample of animal cells.
The cells are placed in a controlled environment containing nutrients, including amino acids, sugars, vitamins, and minerals.
The cells multiply in a bioreactor.
They are encouraged to develop into muscle, fat, and other tissue components.
The resulting material is harvested and made into food.
Because the final product contains animal cells, cultivated chicken is fundamentally different from a plant-based chicken substitute made from soy or pea protein.
Is Lab-Grown Meat Healthy?
Potentially, but there are significant unknowns.
Possible advantages: Manufacturers may eventually be able to adjust the fat composition of cultivated meat, potentially reducing saturated fat or modifying fatty acids. Controlled production may also reduce some contamination risks associated with conventional animal agriculture. It may also be better for the environment and doesn’t require an animal to suffer or die.
Possible disadvantages: Cultivated meat isn’t automatically lower in saturated fat, sodium, or calories. Nutritional content depends on the cells, growing conditions, and final formulation. Some products may require substantial processing or added ingredients.
Most importantly, there are not yet enough long-term human studies comparing cultivated meat with conventional meat to establish whether it reduces cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other chronic disease risks.
What Are Lab-Grown Eggs?
Many people have become confused about lab-grown eggs recently, mostly because of videos circulating on social media spreading misinformation that lab-grown eggs are now being sold at Walmart and Target.
These are not whole eggs grown in laboratories. Instead, companies are using a technology called precision fermentation to manufacture specific proteins normally found in eggs.
Here’s how it works:
Scientists give microorganisms, often yeast, genetic instructions to produce a particular egg protein.
The microorganisms are grown in fermentation tanks, somewhat like the process used to make certain enzymes.
The microorganisms produce the desired egg protein.
The protein is separated and purified for use in foods.
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Are Lab-Grown Eggs Healthy?
Precision-fermented egg proteins can provide high-quality protein, but they aren’t nutritionally equivalent to a whole egg.
A conventional egg contains protein along with choline, vitamin B12, selenium, and small amounts of other nutrients. The yolk supplies fats and fat-soluble nutrients.
A fermentation-derived egg-white protein may provide protein without the yolk’s cholesterol or fat, but it won’t automatically contain all the nutrients of a whole egg.
Lab-Grown Products: Are They Healthier Than Conventional Meat and Eggs?
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