UK scientists join the race for lab-grown meat: Pig cells cultured on blades of grass could lead to a slaughter-free supply of bacon

Pig cells cultured on blades of grass could lead to guilt-free bacon sandwiches and other meaty treats, scientists say. British engineers are using stem cells, which have the ability to become any other cell, to grow meat protein in the lab. It's part of the global effort to produce 'slaughter-free' meat for consumers, as the ethical and environmental impact of rearing livestock increasingly hits headlines. In the case of bacon, experts say it will take years to bring the product to market, given that millions of muscle fibres are required to produce a single piece of bacon. A dutch company which is leading in the race to produce cultured meat claims they will have lab grown beef burgers on shelves by 2021. Experts from the University of Bath are growing pig stem cells in the lab These stem cells have the ability to regenerate and develop into different cell types, including muscle, fat, or ligament. These are then turned into lean muscle fibres using a nutrient soup of sugars and minerals in a piece of equipment known as a bioreactor. Engineers leave these cell cultures to develop into skeletal muscle cells inside bioreactor tanks that can be harvested in a few weeks. Dr Ellis told the BBC: 'What we're doing here is looking to design bioreactors, and the bioprocess around the bioreactors, to grow muscle cells on a large scale that is economical and safe and high quality, so we can supply the muscle cells as cultured meats to as many people as want it.'...MORE