BeneMeat, a Czech biotechnology company, has published a scientific paper on the safety of cultivated meat in the journal Physiological Research. The paper, titled "Shaping the Future Plate: Exploring the Safety Concerns of Cultivated and Conventional Meat Production," summarizes current scientific knowledge on key safety aspects of the technology and identifies areas where further research is needed.
According to the company, the paper covers the microbiological safety of cultivated meat production, the safety and stability of cell lines and their immortalization, genetic modifications, the composition of cultivation media, allergens and nutritional profiles. It also examines how risks can be identified, controlled and assessed throughout development, production and downstream processing.
Cultivated meat, also known as cultured meat or cell-based meat, is animal meat produced by growing animal cells in a controlled environment instead of raising and slaughtering animals. The process begins with a sample of animal cells, which are nourished with nutrients and guided to form muscle, fat and connective tissue.
According to New Harvest, a research institute focused on cellular agriculture, the term refers to meat, including muscle cells, fat cells, connective tissue, blood and other components, produced by cultivating animal cells rather than by slaughtering a live animal.
"Addressing the safety of cultivated meat is essential to ensure consumer health, build market trust and clear the regulatory hurdles required to scale a novel food technology," said Petra Nevečeřalová, PhD, R&D biologist at BeneMeat and lead author of the publication. "BeneMeat thoroughly addresses safety, not only through extensive literature reviews, but also via diverse analytical testing."
