According to a report by ResearchandMarkets, the global market for cultivated meat ingredients will see significant expansion over the next five years as the emphasis on sustainable proteins continues to increase.
The market is said to be undergoing a “transformative shift”, as the food tech industry expands and advancements are made in cell engineering. New techniques to efficiently isolate and proliferate animal cells, along with improved bioreactors, will ensure that cultivated meat production can be scaled effectively. In turn, this will boost the market for cultivated meat ingredients.
Meanwhile, the use of cost-effective ingredients such as algae, microorganisms, and plant-based ingredients as nutrient sources for cultivated cells could provide opportunities for innovation, creating further potential for market expansion.
Barriers to acceptance
However, the market is also likely to face several hurdles, such as gaining regulatory approval. Currently, only Singapore and the US have approved the sale of cultivated meat, though other countries — such as Australia — may be close to doing so. Additionally, production costs will need to be decreased to allow cultivated products to compete with conventional meat, and effective methods must be developed to scale up production while maintaining quality.
Previously, the use of fetal bovine serum — a common choice as a growth medium for cultivated meat cells — has kept costs high. However, many companies are now developing alternatives, reducing costs while also avoiding the ethical, safety, and supply chain issues associated with fetal bovine serum.
Finally, consumer acceptance may be a barrier to the adoption of cultivated meat, and educational initiatives may be needed to increase awareness and dispel misconceptions.
“Cultivated meat is one of the three pillars of alternative protein production with the potential to provide significant protein sources without the impacts that our current food systems have on the atmosphere, water use, and eutrophication, as well as land use and the deforestation required to produce feedstock,” said Dr. Simon Eassom, Executive Director of alt protein think tank Food Frontier.
