Mo’ meat, mo’ problems: An assessment of cultured meat and food system transitions

Abstract

Global food security is a pressing concern in our world, where population is growing and demand for meat is rising alongside development. As such, our current food system needs to be seriously reconsidered. But what a new food system looks like and how to achieve it is widely disputed. Recently, technologies of lab-cultured meat have been proposed as a sustainable alternative to the current meat production system – a prime culprit of unsustainability. This paper discusses lab-cultured meat and its potential benefits and drawbacks for sustainability. Moreover, it analyzes the paradigmatic underpinnings of this technology, based on which I contend that lab-cultured meat is not an effective means of addressing global food insecurity. The paper concludes by discussing the paradigm shifts needed for a truly sustainable food regime and the process by which this transition can occur.