Indian-American scientist discovers unique way to eat meat without killing animals

Cardiologist and co-founder of Memphis Meats says method is sustainable as well as cruelty free

An Indian-American scientist has developed a new technique to eat meat without killing animals which could help in preventing large-scale slaughter of animals globally.

Uma S Valeti’s team has developed contamination-free meat from animal cells in a laboratory that could be harvested in nine to 21 days.

"It is sustainable as well as cruelty free," Valeti, a cardiologist and co-founder of Memphis Meats, told PTI.



The Indian-origin scientist, who is associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota and president of the Twin Cities American Heart Association, said he was working on beef, pork and chicken as these were the three meats that had the highest consumption rate and also had the highest environmental and health impact. His team has already made test runs for beef meat.

Hoping to go in for large scale commercialisation by selling meat grown from animal cells in the next few years, Valeti says the meat grown by his team in the laboratory does not carry the health side effects like bacterial contamination, or high saturated fat or the big environmental issues that come along with it.

In order to develop this unique variety of meat without killing an animal, the Indian-origin doctor said they took identified cells from the targeted animal that are capable of renewing themselves, adding, "We are growing meat which is safer, healthier, more sustainable.”

“These cells are then provided with oxygen and nutrients such as sugars and minerals. The meat thus can be harvested between nine and 21 days,” he continued.



Valeti and his team hope that one day people will be able to buy the meat off the shelf. For now his goal is to provide the laboratory-manufactured meat to restaurants in three years and retail in five years. Coming from a meat-eating family, the scientist said he always thought why people ate meat the way they do, referring to the slaughter of animals.

While the first manufacturing base is to be set up in the US, Dr Valeti said, he is also exploring the possibility to establish a manufacturing foot print in India and China, as there was already some interest from there.

"The meat that we are growing is identical at the molecular and cellular level," he said, adding that his product detaches the concept of slaughter of an animal to eat a meat - be it beef, chicken or goat.

"Cultured meat will completely replace the status quo and make raising animals to eat them simply unthinkable," he said.

This article originally appeared on Huffington Post.