In Australia, a cultured meat startup has claimed production of the world’s first lab-grown lamb. The Spoon reports that Magic Valley is prototyping lab mince, strips, steaks, and chops and is in the process of raising seed funding. Notably, Magic Valley does not grow its meat using Fetal Bovine Serum, a growth medium commonly used in lab-grown meat that is expensive and also causes many to question whether cultured meat is truly cruelty free.
The Spoon adds that lamb consumption is declining in the US but growing in Asia, Mideast and Africa. The fact that lamb is more expensive than more commonly pursued lab-grown meats such as chicken could help Magic Valley reach competitive prices faster. The company hopes to achieve commercial sales in one to two years.