Reduced zoonoses and improved nutritional profiles: interrogating cultured meat and its alleged health benefits

Abstract

Cultured meat is being marketed as a multi-faceted improvement over traditional meat production. Some proponents claim that cultured meat reduces the potential spread of zoonotic disease; others further claim that cultured meat can be made more nutritious than traditional meat. This paper demonstrates – through a review of citations regarding proponent claims surrounding cultured meat’s potential to reduce zoonotic disease spread and improve nutritional possibilities – that cultured meat’s alleged health benefits are not based on quantitative data, nor based on well-developed theoretical research. Claims are often based on presumptions held throughout the literature; this paper calls these presumptions into question by investigating theoretical questions related to how cultured meat will be produced. Importantly, the paper also examines the recent emergence of “exotic cultured meat,” positing that proponent ambitions for diversified food experiences are not exempt from concerns about zoonotic disease spread and nutritional value. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the limited evidence available for health-related claims which are being used to promote cultured meat. While such a conclusion does not require dismissing cultured meat’s potential, greater scrutiny is needed at this time, especially as cultured meat inches closer to becoming publicly available. This paper develops cultured meat research further by identifying the need for: deeper consideration of the interaction between humans and animals throughout the supply chain; greater care to be taken regarding the use of various sources as definitive proof of cultured meat’s alleged health benefits; and critical consideration of the implications of exotic cultured meat production.