3D printer can make slaughter-free meat from animal cells

Vegan eating could reach a whole new range of consumers with this new slaughter-free method.

Spotted: Attempts to reduce our impact on other species have lead to various innovations already spotted by Springwise. From vegan leather to lab-grown fish, there are always more ways to make traditional products without killing animals. Consumers are becoming increasingly motivated to avoid destructive impact on both the environment and animals, making it worthwhile for companies to consider a different approach.

Aleph Farms have dedicated themselves to creating healthier and cruelty-free meat. Their process involves taking a sample of animal cells from a real cow and reproducing them outside of the animal. This means that no actual calves are born to produce the meat, thereby eliminating the need for slaughter. Not only does this reduce animal suffering, it also lessens the environmental impact. At the moment, the cattle industry is highly environmentally-damaging in its release of harmful gas emissions, such as methane and carbon dioxide. In addition, the land used for cattle farming requires large swathes of the planet’s rain forests to be cut down, further exacerbating the greenhouse effect.

In addition, these animal cell meat products do not come into contact with the same antibiotics and bacterial contamination that is rife within conventional meat production. This also means that the meat is healthier for the consumer.

Aleph Farms uses 3D printing technology to mimic traditional cuts of beef in both structure and texture. They can, therefore, aim to provide the same level of taste and quality as real meat, but with drastically fewer damaging consequences.