Photo courtesy of Memphis Meats
What if I told you that the piece of fried chicken above was real chicken... but no bird had to be killed to make it? Would you believe me?
Well, whether you do or not, that's what the above piece of chicken is. And it's a world first.
Cultured meat producer Memphis Meats unveiled their newest lineup of "clean poultry" meats, which included pieces of duck and chicken that were grown in cultures and didn't require the death of a single animal to produce.
While Memphis Meats and other cultured meat producers around the world have displayed their ability to create pieces of lab-grown, or "clean," beef in the past, this is the first time that any company worldwide has been able to develop a piece of real poultry from just cultured poultry cells.
Photo courtesy of Memphis Meats
The company did invite a group of taste-testers to a kitchen in San Francisco to sample the chicken and duck for themselves. The chicken was prepared Southern style and deep fried, while the duck was served a l'orange. According to the Wall Street Journal, tasters described the chicken strip as slightly spongier than a chicken breast, but almost spot-on in terms of flavor. All of them said they would eat it again.
Photo courtesy of Memphis Meats
It definitely looks like a piece of chicken breast when cut open, as well.
Memphis Meats develops their cultured meat products in preparation for a future where traditional forms of meat production are no longer sustainable, since they use up too many of our natural resources, especially water and land. By culturing the meat cells and turning them into real meat products, Memphis Meats claims they can use up to 90% less water, land, and greenhouse gas emissions whilst eliminating the need for slaughterhouses.
Their efforts are backed by animal-welfare advocates, including PETA, which normally is against any form of animal consumption.
Memphis Meats aims to have their production scaled up and cost down to a point where they can sell their meats in stores by 2021.
Hey, if it tastes good and helps save the planet, I'm totally down.
