Statistics show that over half of consumers in the U.S prefer to eat plant-based foods, while there’s also a growing interest in consuming cultured meat. Actually, the numbers are expected to keep increasing this year as more consumers are looking for ways to keep medical costs at bay.

Culture-based proteins were introduced about ten years ago, and in recent years, have been gaining traction as an alternative source of sustainable protein.

Growing Demand for Plant-Based Foods

In the past 15 years, records show that Americans have increased plant-based intakes by 300%, while the global retail sales of such plant-based food is projected to reach a market worth of about $162 billion by the year 2030. Currently and globally, the plant-based food market makes up for about 7.7% of the worldwide market for plant proteins.

The reason why many customers are following the plant-based food trend is mainly out of concern for the environment which advocates for the elimination of animal meat consumption. Health consciousness is also becoming prevalent in the US, prompting companies to increase hiring of workers and improving adaptatiion of technologies to provide customer demands.

However, manufacturing companies are not making drastic changes in adapting to the growing demand. It’s expected that a lof of solutions will be introduced to tackle the demand, especially for dairy and plant-based proteins.

A study performed by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) for The Hartman Group revealed that 29% of consumers are now consciously monitoring their meat intake. Nine percent (9%)of those who responded to the survey said that they do not eat meat at all.

What is Cultivated or Cultured Meat Made Of?

Cultured or cultivated meat are still real animal meat but produced by directly cultivating animal cells, including seafood and animal organs, The production process of this meat alternative eliminates the need invest in resources and overhead costs raise farm animals.

Cultivated or cultured meat is created with the same cell types, which are arranged in the same way animal tissues are structured. That way, the meat produced mirrors the nutritional and sensory attributes of traditional meat.

Meat cultivations starts with the process of collecting and accumulating stem cells from certain types of animals. The stem cells are then nurtured and grown in bioreactors or cultivatiors in high volumes and densities.

Nurturing means providing the cultured stem cells with oxygen and medium full of basic nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, inorganic salts, vitamins, proteins and other growth factors. The cultivation process is similar to how animal growth works inside an animal’s body.