Progress in Lab-Grown Meat Tech & Science

The Department of Food Science and Biotechnology of Animal Resources at Konkuk University in Seoul, Republic of Korea, is a leading research institution committed to the advancement of meat science. With interests spanning across meat product development, milk science, toxicology, functional foods, and more recently, cultured or cultivated meat production,. 
 
As global population growth continues to surge forward, ensuring a stable supply chain for high-quality protein sources becomes increasingly paramount. While plant-based proteins are plentiful and diverse in nature, it is animal-derived products such as meats that remain the preferred source due to their superior nutritional profile. However, traditional livestock farming practices have raised concerns about sustainability and environmental impact. 
 
This has led researchers in the field to explore alternative methods for producing meat with a smaller environmental footprint while maintaining quality standards. One such promising area under exploration is 'cultured' or 'in vitro' meat, essentially lab-grown muscle tissue from animals produced using cell culture technologies. 
 
Cultured meats offer several potential advantages, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional livestock farming, the elimination of foodborne diseases commonly associated with raw meats, enhanced animal welfare by reducing slaughter rates, and potentially even improved nutritional profiles through controlled cultivation conditions. 
 
While commercialization efforts for cultured meats are still evolving globally, there's little doubt that this technology will play an integral part in our future diets, given its clear benefits over traditional farming methods. 
 
In light of these developments within the field of cultured meat science and technology, we're pleased to announce a special issue focusing on recent advances made by researchers worldwide. This edition will feature contributions highlighting key areas like scaffold engineering required for growing tissues outside organisms, stem cell utilization techniques for efficient tissue generation, and new approaches towards inducing cellular proliferation and differentiation, among others. 
 
Also included would be discussions around progress made concerning cell culture media compositions, which provide nutrients necessary for cells’ growth and survival during cultivation processes; alternatives being developed against antibiotics often used in labs but frowned upon when it comes down to food; and substitutes for fetal bovine serum (FBS), a frequently used but controversial ingredient in cell culture media. 
 
This special issue aims to serve as an all-encompassing guide for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers alike who are navigating this dynamic field. It will provide critical insights into the latest breakthroughs within cultured meat science and technology while emphasizing sustainable and ethical principles of food production. 
 
As part of our commitment to promoting open access scientific knowledge dissemination, we invite research articles, reviews, and short communications related to the theme for submission. All submitted manuscripts would undergo rigorous peer-review processes, ensuring only high-quality publications make it through. 
 
In conclusion, the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology of Animal Resources at Konkuk University continues its mission to explore innovative solutions addressing global protein supply challenges with a specific focus on cultured meats, marking yet another step forward in our journey towards sustainable living.