US Green-lights Commercial Sale of Synthetic Meat: What’s Next?

A Carnivore’s Dilemma

Hello everyone,

The headlines are buzzing with a recent development: Eat Just Inc. and Upside Foods Inc. have gained approval from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell their cell-based chicken commercially. As a steadfast advocate for a natural, animal-based diet, I feel compelled to share my perspective on this groundbreaking shift in food production.

Unpacking Cell-Based Meat

To start, we need to understand what cell-based meat truly is. This isn’t your traditional chicken, free to roam in open fields, basking in the sun. This is meat grown in a lab from animal cells. It’s being touted as a sustainable, animal-friendly answer to global meat demand. Yet, as someone invested in the benefits of a traditional carnivore diet, I question the true nutritional value and long-term implications of this so-called “meat”.

The Move to Mass Production

Eat Just’s cell-based division, GOOD Meat, is set to kickstart production at two facilities. One at their headquarters in Alameda, California, and the other at a contract manufacturer’s site. Upside Foods is following suit at its innovation center in Emeryville, California. These lab-created products will soon feature in restaurants owned by renowned chefs José Andrés and Dominique Crenn in Washington and San Francisco, respectively.

The Question of Regulatory Oversight

The USDA’s approval follows the endorsement of product labels by both companies. The US Food and Drug Administration also had “no questions” about the companies’ claims of their chicken products being safe to eat. But let’s not forget: a significant 46% of the FDA’s 2021 budget came from pharmaceutical companies, the very entities they’re supposed to regulate. Could we not see a similar situation with these lab-grown meat companies?

A Global Shift in Meat Consumption

Eat Just has been selling its lab-grown meat in Singapore since 2020, making it the sole producer of cell-based meat currently selling its product to the public. But we need to pause and ponder: Are we prepared to replace our time-tested, natural dietary habits with lab-grown alternatives?

The Importance of Vigilance and Questioning

Don’t mistake my skepticism for disdain towards innovation. I’m all for exploring new horizons. However, I firmly believe that health isn’t just about losing weight or ticking off boxes on a nutritional chart. It’s about feeling alive, vibrant, and fully functional. Can lab-grown meat, devoid of nature’s touch and the intricacies of natural biology, genuinely offer us that?

As we navigate this new landscape, let’s remember that the worst tyranny can be that which is done for our own good. Let’s not blindly accept every ‘next big thing’ in the name of progress. Let’s keep asking questions, seeking truth, and choosing what makes us feel truly alive.

Until next time, stay questioning, stay vigilant, and stay healthy.