2019 – Posted in: Daily News

Cell-based meat in India

For: Preliminary, Mains
Topics covered: Cell-based meat, CCMB, CSIR, GFI, Future of Protein Summit

News flash

The Centre has approved a Rs. 4.5 crore grant to two premier Hyderabad-based institutions. The grant is provided for research into technology that involves growing animal cells in a laboratory to produce slaughter-free meat or cell-based meat.

Cell-based meat/ Clean meat/ Cultured meat

Cultured meat is meat produced by in vitro cultivation of animal cells, instead of from slaughtered animals. It is a meat that is grown in cell culture, rather than in an animal’s body. It is nutritionally equivalent to conventional animal meat, and tastes, smells, looks and feels exactly the same.

Institution Involved

The project will be carried out jointly by :

The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), which operates under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
The National Research Centre on Meat (NRCM), which was set up by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

This funding has been given to CCMB to develop technology to take laboratory cell culture process to cell-based meat production.

Benefits of cell-based meat

Potential benefits of clean meat include sustainability, environmental friendliness, animal welfare, food safety, and novel foods. Also, cell-based meat claim that it is healthier for the planet.

It could potentially do away with the need for modern factory-farming and issues such as animal cruelty, salmonella and e-coli infections and antibioticlaced meat.

Salmonella

Salmonella is the name of a group of bacteria. In the United States, it is the most common cause of foodborne illness. Salmonella occurs in raw poultry, eggs, beef, and sometimes on unwashed fruit and vegetables.

E.coli (Escherichia coli)

E. coli is the name of a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines. Most types of E. coli are harmless. One can get E. coli infections by eating foods containing the bacteria. To help avoid food poisoning and prevent infection, handle food safely. Cook meat well, wash fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them, and avoid unpasteurized milk and juices.

Global Scenario

Cell-based meat companies across the world are receiving significant government support. The governments of Netherlands, Japan and Israel among others investing in clean meat companies.

Additionally, the regulatory authorities of countries like the US are deliberating on the path to market these products. These efforts reflect the potential of the clean meat sector to provide future generations with sustainable nutrition.

Background

The concept of cultured meat was popularised by Jason Matheny in the early 2000s after co-authoring a seminal paper on cultured meat production and creating New Harvest, the world’s first non-profit organization dedicated to supporting in vitro meat research.

‘Future of Protein’ summit 2018

Humane society International India organized a food tech revolution summit was held in August 2018 in Hyderabad, in association with CSIR, CCMB, GFI (Good Food Institute) and Atal Incubation Centre. The impactful conclave was organised to discuss the future of clean meat and plant based meat in India.

The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology

CCMB is a premier research organization in frontier areas of modern biology.
The objectives of the Centre are to conduct high quality basic research and training in frontier areas of modern biology, and promote centralized national facilities for new and modern techniques in the inter-disciplinary areas of biology.
CCMB was set up initially as a semi-autonomous Centre on April 1, 1977.
During 1981-82, the CCMB was accorded the status of a full-fledged national laboratory with its own Executive Committee and Scientific Advisory Council.

The Good Food Institute

GFI is a U.S.based nonprofit that promotes plant-based meat, dairy, and eggs as well as clean meat (also known as cultured meat and cell-based meat), as alternatives to the products of conventional animal agriculture. GFI targets scientists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to promote plant-based products and cellular agriculture.

Source: Indian Express

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