Page 43 - Food & Drink Magazine Jan-Feb 21

demand for such products. What these products are called depends on the context and the consumer.
Meat has an accepted and common definition today, but vegetarians and vegans might use it out of convenience to refer to mock meat products. But flexitarians may have difficulty referring to alternative proteins as meat due to existing definitions in their diet.
A CULTURED QUANDARY
The alternate meat development that is really pushing boundaries and forcing a definition rethink is cultured meat. The simple question – is cultured meat actually meat or non-meat – has no simple answer. It simply doesn’t fit into anything current and doesn’t satisfy criteria for any existing definition.
Also, how would it fit with definitions of veganism and vegetarianism? Strictly speaking, it is not the actual flesh of an animal, so it can’t be regarded as meat by most definitions. But it is derived from meat and is therefore identical to meat. Surely this would fit a definition of meat?
However, there are arguments why it isn’t meat. If we look at cultured meat from the vegetarian and vegan perspective, people that follow these diets are against killing animals and consuming animal products.Culturedmeatdoesn’t involve the killing of animals, and it doesn’t actually contain any animal products, or does it? It is derived from animal cells, so does that mean it can be called meat?
The rise of cultured meat, with the Singapore government recently approving cultured chicken for human consumption, highlights the
“ People need convenient terms and words in everyday language and the fact is the words meat and milk are convenient and understood by most as well as already in use.”
need for new definitions need to be made or existing definitions to be changed, just as the meaning of meat has changed over time.
People need convenient terms and words in everyday language and the fact is the words meat and milk are convenient and understood by most as well as already in use. If almond milk or soy milk for example, are not called milk, what is the alternative? Changes to established products would surely create confusion and havoc in the food industry, retail environment and consumers’ minds.
A better option may be to extend or alter existing definitions and enable increased consumer awareness of the various products, their composition and how they fit into ahealthydietandlifestyle. ✷
✷ ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
Singapore has approved a cultured chicken nugget fit for human consumption.
INDUSTRY OPINION
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Dr Philip Button is a
food microbiologist.
His start-up Food
Microbiology Academy
is based in Melbourne
and offers consulting
and training services to the food manufacturing industry.
www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | January/February 2021 | Food&Drink business | 43