New Harvest
Encyclopedia
New Harvest is a non-profit organization promoting research on the development of in vitro
meat and other meat substitutes. New Harvest was formed by researchers actively promoting tissue engineering
. In 2005, P. D. Edelman, M.Sc., D.C. McFarland, Ph.D., V.A. Mironov, Ph.D., M.D., and J.G. Matheny, M.P.H. published their research in the journal Tissue Engineering
, proposing new production methods.
Matheny says lab production of meat would be "cleaner, more efficient, more sanitary," and "solve all of the animal welfare problems" of current meat production. According to New Harvest's FAQ, "Within several years, it may be possible to produce cultured meat in a processed form, like sausage, hamburger, or chicken nuggets, with modifications of existing technologies." The organization seeks to fund these technologies while focusing on their economic viability. A preliminary study was commissioned in 2008 in order to analyze costs of different technologies.
New Harvest currently funds university-based research to develop new culture media, bioreactors, and methods of tissue assembly for the production of cultured meat. In addition, it is funding an environmental assessment of cultured meat compared to conventional meat, looking at the relative efficiency in land, water, and energy use.
New Harvest has received press coverage by US News and World Report, Time,The Washington Post, and The Economist.
In vitro meat
In vitro meat, also known as cultured meat, is an animal flesh product that has never been part of a complete, living animal.This form of meat has been described, sometimes derisively, as "laboratory-grown" meat. In vitro meat should not be confused with imitation meat, which is a vegetarian food...
meat and other meat substitutes. New Harvest was formed by researchers actively promoting tissue engineering
Tissue engineering
Tissue engineering is the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors to improve or replace biological functions...
. In 2005, P. D. Edelman, M.Sc., D.C. McFarland, Ph.D., V.A. Mironov, Ph.D., M.D., and J.G. Matheny, M.P.H. published their research in the journal Tissue Engineering
Tissue engineering
Tissue engineering is the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors to improve or replace biological functions...
, proposing new production methods.
Matheny says lab production of meat would be "cleaner, more efficient, more sanitary," and "solve all of the animal welfare problems" of current meat production. According to New Harvest's FAQ, "Within several years, it may be possible to produce cultured meat in a processed form, like sausage, hamburger, or chicken nuggets, with modifications of existing technologies." The organization seeks to fund these technologies while focusing on their economic viability. A preliminary study was commissioned in 2008 in order to analyze costs of different technologies.
New Harvest currently funds university-based research to develop new culture media, bioreactors, and methods of tissue assembly for the production of cultured meat. In addition, it is funding an environmental assessment of cultured meat compared to conventional meat, looking at the relative efficiency in land, water, and energy use.
New Harvest has received press coverage by US News and World Report, Time,The Washington Post, and The Economist.