Consumers may soon find meat on restaurant menus that has never walked the earth—grown from cell to fillet (肉块). The product, called “cultured” or “cultivated” meat, is reaching more plates. Cultivated chicken has been sold in a Singapore restaurant since 2020, and recently the Department of Agriculture approved the sale of cultured chicken in the United States. More than 150 businesses worldwide are working to put beef, fish, and pork on the market, too.
Cultured meat begins as a cell from an egg or a piece of traditionally butchered meat. Fed with certain nutrients for two or three weeks, the meat is processed into forms that consumers are familiar with. “Initial research is in a lab, but the meat is made in a production facility.” says Josh Tetrick, CEO of Good Meat, one of the USDA-approved cultured chicken manufacturers. The company has made public their own nutrient analysis, evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, which reveals that the nutritional profiles of their products are almost identical to conventional meats.
By alleviating the raising and killing of animals, cultured meat companies say their product helps reduce animal cruelty and will be better for the environment. Their process uses far less land because there’s no need to house animals or grow their feed. Cultured beef, especially, could reduce the number of cattle on farms-a significant source of methane emissions. However, some studies contradicted that cultured meat may also require greater energy usage than conventional production. Much of the environmental impact will depend on whether the energy used is renewable and on the efficiency of future production technology.
Given a growing consumer consciousness around animal rights and climate change, supporters foresee a future meat market where consumers will choose between different kinds of conventional meat, cultured meat, and plant-based alternatives. Approved sale of cultivated chicken in the U.S. is a landmark moment, but not yet a revolution. While cultured meat’s widespread consumption and impact on the economy seem a step closer to reality, scientists, philosophers, and the product’s own manufacturers acknowledge years of work lie ahead.
8. What’s the first paragraph mainly about?
A.The official approval of meat marketing. |
B.The growing popularity of meat products. |
C.The increasing promotion of cultured meat. |
D.The widespread consumption of cultured chicken. |
9. In what way is cultured meat similar to conventional meat?
A.Initial forms. | B.Production efficiency. |
C.Nutritional contents. | D.Consumption prospect. |
10. Why does the author mention cultured beef in paragraph 3?
A.To explain the process of raising animals. |
B.To compare cultured meat and conventional meat. |
C.To emphasize the environmental benefits of cultured meat. |
D.To highlight the significance of reducing methane emissions. |
11. What attitude do scientists hold for the future consumption of cultured meat?
A.Cautious. | B.Confident. | C.Doubtful. | D.Worried. |