Paul Wood, AO on Demystifying Lab-Grown Meat & Why it’s a Bad Business Idea

Sustainable Dish Podcast

There’s lots of buzz around lab-grown meat right now, and you may be thinking, “What is this stuff?”

On this episode, I am joined by Paul Wood, AO (Officer of the Order of Australia), who is going to give us a crash course on lab-grown meat, including the process of growing meat from cells, all in inputs involved, actual cost behind production, and the final product results.

Paul takes the emotion, ethics, and politics out of the issue by focusing only on the business and technology aspects. Through his analysis, he has come to one conclusion - it won’t work - at least in its current form. There is a lot of work and tech advancement needed to produce cell-based meat at a level to make good on the lofty promise of feeding the world. Succinctly put, the technology works, but the business models don’t.

As an immunologist with decades of experience in vaccinations and large-scale fermentation, Paul has an in-depth understanding of what it takes for these tech companies to produce food-grade products and the challenges they are up against.

Check out Paul’s article: Eight Key Questions about Lab-Grown Meat.

Episode resources and transcripts are available at www.sustainabledish.com.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube: Episode 265: Paul Wood, AO

Episode Credits:

Thank you to all who’ve made this show possible. Our hosts are Diana Rodgers and James Connolly. Our producer is Emily Soape. And, of course, we are grateful for our sponsors, Global Food Justice Alliance members, and listeners.

GFJA members get early access to ad-free podcasts, free downloads, and you’ll be helping get healthy protein like meat, fish, and eggs to food-insecure kids. Go to sustainabledish.com/join to support my work.

And if you're looking for a guide to get your diet back on track so you feel your very best, plus learn more about meat’s role in a healthy, sustainable, and ethical food system, check out Sustainavore. This is my signature course to help you eat for your health, the planet, and your values. For more information, head to sustainavore.com and sign up!

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