The number of animals killed in one year in the United States alone is staggering. Over 55 billion animals are being slaughtered for human consumption in the U.S. Research from EPA in 2020 shows that there were over 13.2 trillion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Researchers also found that 37% of those emissions in the U.S. are caused due to Livestock and agricultural practices. Recent lab experiments created "cultured meats," meaning meat such as steak and chicken made without livestock practices, showing significant environmental benefits.

 The U.S. The Food and Drug Administration announced that the "Slaughter Free chicken" - made from natural animal cells grown in laboratories is safe for human consumption. The first commercialized lab-grown chicken products use cells from fertilized chicken eggs. Once the cells are obtained, they are placed in a highly controlled environment and nourished using the company, Upside's proprietary cell culture medium or cell feed, consisting of compounds found in animal feed and human food, including amino acids, fatty acids, sugar, trace elements, salts, and vitamins. The company's website states, "These ingredients allow us to nourish the cells with the same type of nutrients they would get inside an animal's body." The main difference between feeding a live animal versus feeding the cells is the size of the components. For example, live chicken is fed corn, made up of carbohydrates and protein; the cells in the lab are "fed" carbohydrates and proteins directly.

Food production has a significant environmental impact, and there is no reason to doubt that lab-generated foods have the potential to lead to a new generation of food; however, there is an essential question to ask: Will people want to eat them?
One study found that 35% of meat-eaters felt too disgusted by cultured meat and perceived cultured meat as unnatural. Even 55% of vegetarians saw cultured meat evoking hesitation for animal reminders with its animal origin.
It is too soon to tell what shape the industry will take, but so far, it is a substantial development considering sustainable food options and animal welfare for our better future.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494422000032

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