FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER THE FDA HAS GIVEN THE GREENLIGHT FOR A US COMPANY TO PRODUCE LAB-GROWN MEAT. YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT MEAT CREATED FROM ANIMAL CELLS WITHOUT SLAUGHTERING THE ACTUAL ANIMAL

THE COMPANY THAT SOUGHT APPROVAL IS UPSIDE FOODS – THEY’RE A FOOD TECHNOLOGY START-UP BASED OUT OF CALIFORNIA.

THIS IS WHAT THEIR CULTIVATED CHICKEN LOOKS LIKE – AND AFTER AN FDA EVALUATION – IT WAS DEEMED SAFE.

THE PROCESS OF CREATING THIS TYPE OF MEAT IS AN INTERESTING ONE: SCIENTISTS EXTRACT A BIOPSY FROM A LIVING ANIMAL. THEY PLACE THOSE CELLS INTO TANKS WHERE THEY’RE FED WITH NUTRIENTS LIKE FATS SUGARS AND VITAMINS NEEDED TO MULTIPLY… WHEN THEY GROW BIG ENOUGH THEY CAN BE MOVED INTO LARGER REACTORS AND EVENTUALLY HARVESTED LIKE NORMAL RAW MEAT.

THE FDA SAYS THE WORLD IS EXPERIENCING A FOOD REVOLUTION AND THAT THEY’RE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD SUPPLY.

RIGHT NOW AMERICANS ARE THE LARGEST CONSUMERS OF MEAT ON THE PLANET WHERE EACH PERSON EATS MORE THAN 220 POUNDS OF IT EVERY YEAR.

ADVOCATES BELIEVE CULTURED MEAT WILL REDUCE THE NEED TO SLAUGHTER ANIMALS – AT A TIME WHERE LIVESTOCK ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 14.5 PERCENT OF TOTAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ACCORDING TO EXPERTS.

UPSIDE FOODS WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO START SELLING ITS PRODUCTS MADE FROM CULTURED MEAT CELLS AFTER IT’S FACILITIES GET INSPECTED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – QUESTION IS, WOULD YOU EAT IT?