Printed Beef On The ISS

A Israeli food start-up Aleph Farms just did an interesting experiment onboard the ISS. They printed (or more precisely cultivated) beef.

• Be also sure to check out my other posts and follow me @kralizec and subscribe to my Youtube channel at Kralizec Gaming Youtube Channel

Meat is expensive. Taking anything to space is even more expensive. Thus, taking meat into space is incredibly expensive. This is why a start-up from Isreal named Aleph Farms, a Russian company 3D Bioprinting Solutions, and the American companies Meal Source Technologies and Finless Foods cooperated on an experiment taking place 339 kilometers above the Earth onboard the ISS.

They managed to také an important first step in the creation of safe and nutritious meat while using the minimum of resources. The principle for „printing“ meat sounds very simple. The scientists just took muscle cells from a cow and gave them nutrients in a controlled environment. This way allowed them to simulated the animal‘s regeneration process of the muscle cells during which the cells grow and multiply.

The experiment itself took place on the 26th of September in the Russian part of the IS. During the experiment, astronauts connected a small amount of muscle tissue using a 3D bioprinter in a low gravity environment. A benefit of doing this in zero-G is a faster growth as it is possible to “print“ cells from all sides at the same time in comparison with traditional printers where the technology is limited by gravity.

Sadly, the meat is grown in space isn't ready for mass production yet. But it can be used to supply astronauts during long term missions. This is great news as bringing protein into space isn‘t very economical. And looking on a larger scale, it could be the first step towards lab-produced meat for the mass in the future.

So far, lab-grown meat is an interesting alternative to breeding animals. But it just isn‘t commercially viable at the moment. But once we get the costs down it will be a great choice for meat lovers who don't like animals suffering. Hopefully, it also tastes just as good.

Sources:

• https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aleph-farms-successfully-completed-the-first-slaughter-free-meat-experiment-in-space-300932806.html

---

• If you like the content I’m producing about science maybe you will like the content I produce about gaming as well! Be sure to check out my other posts!