Did you ever think you’d see the day of lab-grown meat? Eric Jenkusky is the co-founder and CEO of Matrix Meats, a company that designs the three-dimensional nanofiber scaffolds that other companies use to grow meat cells. That sounds like a confusing mouthful, but basically, Matrix Meats provides the environment for solid meat to grow without being inside of an animal. What are the possible effects of this emerging industry?
Why are people growing meat in a lab?
On the environmental side, livestock farming accounts for 18% of human-produced greenhouse gas emissions. On the animal rights side, some people live a vegan lifestyle for many reasons, including religion. “I’m a capitalist, but I’m also a realist,” Jenkusky said. “I saw an opportunity to deliver the protein the world needs while protecting the environment and animal rights.” This meat is meat, but it doesn’t take the life of an animal. And you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination in dirty facilities.
Does the cattle industry need a break?
To keep up with the high demand for protein worldwide, agriculture leaders are cutting down forests just to raise cattle. But Jenkusky said if you take away the environmental effects and animal rights aspects, the cattle industry still doesn’t make sense. “No one would design their business the way that raising cattle is,” he said. It takes a large number of resources for only a little bit of output. That’s why he believes lab-grown meat is the future of the world’s protein.
What do you think? Would you try it out?
