Researchers in Japan have produced nugget-sized chunks of chicken using animal cells, signaling a breakthrough in lab-grown food production.
Lab-grown or cell-cultivated meat has been around for over a decade, offering an animal-based protein option that does not derive from slaughtered animals.
Previous attempts at lab-grown chicken have been made with cells taken from living animals to create chicken strips less an inch thick that are then bound together.
Creating thicker portions of meat is difficult without blood vessels, which help oxygen and nutrients keep tissue alive and healthy.
Scientists at the University of Tokyo invented a process that mimics blood vessels, therefore enabling tissues to grow stronger, and produced a bite-sized chunk of chicken at 10 grams that indicates improved texture.
The team believes they could build larger chunks of meat using the same process and even create functional organs.
