production of animal proteins by cell systems - New Harvest

Life cycle assessment of cultured meat production (cradle to cradle)
Livestock production in total currently occupies about 30 % of the ice-free terrestrial surface of our
planet and amounts to 18 % of the global warming effect (FAO, 2006). The consumption of meat
has been predicted to double between 1999 and 2050, which will further increase its negative
impact on the environment. Cultured meat will be produced in a reactor by growing only muscle
cells/tissues, instead of growing the whole animals. Its development has started mainly from
attempts of producing space food for astronauts, but it could potentially offer many environmental,
heath, and animal welfare benefits in the future. To assess the overall environmental impact of
cultured meat production, it would be advisable to carry out a formal Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),
to estimate the energy-, water-, and land-use and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Here we
present some preliminary results that are based on an LCA study by Hanna Tuomisto (University of
Oxford, UK) and Joost Teixiera de Mattos (University of Amsterdam) that is still in progress.
The basic production unit considered is one ton (i.e. 1000 kg, of which 30% is dry matter en 20 %
protein) of cultured meat. With due scientific development this cultured meat product should be
producible from hydrolyzed algal biomass (for sugars and amino acids) and recombinant growth
factors produced via lactic acid bacteria. The most relevant input factors are the production of the
input materials and fuels, and production of the feedstock (presumably ~ 1.5 ton biomass with 50
% (w/w) protein), and the fermentation of muscle cells. The cost of nutrients (mainly: K + , Na + and
inorganic phosphate are negligible, because of the low amounts required (~ 1 kg potassium and
0.1 kg phosphate).
Taking proper literature data one can estimate that 500 m 2 algal mass culture will be required (for
cost estimate: see (Chisti, 2008)). The resulting extract will be fed into a 1000 l stainless steel
fermenter, which will have to run for two months (for costs: see Akiyama et al., 2003). It was
estimated that the average energy use is 45-60% lower; greenhouse gas emissions are 80-95%
lower; land use is 98% lower and water use is 90-98% lower. Only poultry production has a lower
energy use compared to cultured meat.
References
Akiyama, M., Tsuge, T., Doi, Y., 2003. Environmental life cycle comparison of
polyhydroxyalkanoates produced from renewable carbon resources by bacterial fermentation.
Polymer Degradation and Stability 80, 183-194.
Chisti, Y., 2008. Response to Reijnders: Do biofuels from microalgae beat biofuels from terrestrial
plants? Trends in Biotechnology 26, 351-352.
FAO, 2006. Livestock’s long shadow –environmental issues and options. Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations, Rome, p. 390.
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