A recent article in the New York Times questioned whether KFC chicken is actually grown in a lab. The article cites a study by environmental nonprofit Mighty Earth that “found that almost half of the chicken sold in the United States is produced in labs, with most coming from industrial-scale operations.
” The study’s authors say that “the use of lab-grown meat would reduce global warming emissions by up to 93 percent and food waste by up to 70 percent.”.
While the study’s authors raise valid points, the Times article raises several questions that need to be answered. For example, is it really more environmentally friendly to produce chicken in a lab than to raise chickens on a farm? Also, how sustainable is it to produce meat in a lab? Is it really possible to reduce global warming emissions by 93 percent by using lab-grown meat? And lastly, how much food waste would be eliminated if we switched to lab-grown meat? Answers to these questions will help us make better decisions about the future of food.
