Researching in animals to produce more ethical food: The moral limits of cultured meat

Abstract

The huge global demand for animal protein, along with ecological collapse and its consequent food inequalities, have encouraged academics, scientists and entrepreneurs around the world to look for alternatives. One of these is animal cell research to produce cultured laboratory-grown meat. In vitro meat generation is presented as a solution to the growing socio-ecological problems. However, this paper will question some of their promises to contribute to greater sustainability, animal welfare and food justice. Furthermore, the bioethical discussion arising from the controversial culture medium where bovine fetuses are used to develop synthetic meat will be explored. From a non-anthropocentric ethics, four different types of arguments will be outlined in order to elucidate some of the moral limitations that this food research entails: from a deontological position, from utilitarian criteria, from the capabilities approach and from virtue ethics. The sum of these philosophical approaches, aimed at rethinking on cultured meat, will lead to the conclusion that an outright defense of this process is reasonably controversial.