Approved work: Cultivated meat
New parliamentary research project approved to consider opportunities and challenges from the production of cultivated meat.

Food production systems worldwide may have to adapt radically to meet the rising global demand for food. Emerging approaches in the food sector include controlled-environment farming, alternative animal feeds, edible insects, and lab-cultured meat. This POSTnote considers these new technologies and summarises their respective advantages and limitations.
Novel Food Production (482 KB , PDF)
Food security – where all people at all times have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food – is a global priority. Food security is multifaceted, incorporating issues of production, distribution, stability, dietary preference and economic access. Although the transition to a secure and sustainable food system will require reducing food waste and influencing consumer behaviour, global food production may also need to increase. Projections suggest it may need to increase by 60% between 2007 and 2050 to meet the demand of a growing population. This will be challenging as agricultural productivity is being restricted by the increase in water scarcity (POSTnote 385), the availability and cost of mineral phosphate for fertilisers (POSTnote 477), the widespread decline in soil fertility, the limited land remaining for cultivation, and the impacts of climate change.
This POSTnote summarises three key areas of current food production innovation, controlled-environment farming, alternative animal feeds and novel protein sources, which could contribute to a more sustainable food system:
Novel Food Production (482 KB , PDF)
New parliamentary research project approved to consider opportunities and challenges from the production of cultivated meat.
Food systems face the triple challenge of food security, resilient supply chains and environmental sustainability.
Without sustainable agricultural innovation, such as the use of artificial intelligence, the world faces persistent food insecurity and degraded resources.