Slaughter-Free Meat, Coming Soon To Your Dinner Table w/ Josh Tetrick | EP#58

Added: Aug 10, 2023

Tetrick begins by highlighting the problems with conventional animal agriculture. He explains that a third of the planet is dedicated to feeding the billions of animals that are slaughtered for food, leading to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. He also emphasizes the cruelty and health risks associated with slaughterhouses and the need to minimize harm to living beings. The conversation then delves into the process of cultivating meat. Tetrick explains that it starts with obtaining cells from a cell bank or a biopsy of an animal. These cells are then grown in a bioreactor, where they multiply and develop into raw chicken, beef, or pork. The meat is then processed and shaped into various products, such as chicken nuggets or hamburgers. Tetrick discusses the potential benefits of cultivated meat, including improved health outcomes, reduced environmental impact, and increased food security. He explains that cultivated meat can be produced in smaller spaces, making it possible to have production facilities in urban areas. This localization of production could help address food security issues by reducing the reliance on long-distance transportation. The conversation also touches on the challenges of scaling up cultivated meat production. Tetrick highlights the need for larger vessels, lower feed costs, and higher cell densities to achieve cost parity with conventional meat production. He envisions a future where cultivated meat is as affordable as conventional meat and is produced locally in various cities around the world. Tetrick addresses the different names used to describe cultivated meat, such as lab-grown meat and stem cell-grown meat. He prefers the term "cultivated meat" because it emphasizes the legitimate production facilities involved in the process. He believes that as the industry matures, the labels will eventually drop, and cultivated meat will simply be referred to as meat. The episode concludes with Tetrick discussing the future of Good Meat and its plans to expand into other protein sources, such as beef, pork, and seafood. He emphasizes the unlimited potential for cultivating various types of protein and acknowledges the challenges associated with replicating bones in cultivated meat. Overall, the podcast highlights the potential of cultivated meat to revolutionize the food industry by providing a sustainable and cruelty-free alternative to conventional animal agriculture. Tetrick's moonshot vision aligns with the growing demand for high-quality protein while addressing the environmental and ethical concerns associated with traditional meat production.