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The Department of Biotechnology has decided to fund the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and the National Research Centre on Meat for research on cell-based meat.
Cell-based meat, also called clean meat or cultured meat, is nutritionally equivalent to conventional meat, and tastes, smells, looks and feels exactly the same. The only difference is in the way it is produced.
Rather than raising livestock and slaughtering them for meat, cell-based meat is produced through ‘cellular agriculture’, with animal cells being cultivated into meat.
Rakesh Mishra, Director of CCMB, said: “This funding has been given to CCMB to develop technology to take laboratory cell culture process to cell-based meat production, which can be scalable. It is one of the major initiatives by any government body across the world and a much-needed encourage for other agencies and industry to participate.”
Alokparna Sengupta, Deputy Director of Humane Society International/ India (HSI/India), said; “It is a matter of pride for us that the Indian government is at the forefront of investing in the future of protein.”
Cell-based meat companies across the world are receiving significant government support, and reflects potential clean-meat holds for sustainable nutrition.
Animal experimentation
AIC and HSI/India have launched the Centre for Predictive Human Model Systems, to focus on 21st century new approach methodologies instead of animal models.
The centre aims to prioritise investment in human-based, non-animal methodologies in life sciences research in India.
Madhusudan Rao, CEO of AIC–CCMB, said, “ The area of predictive human biology is ripe for investment and I am certain that this partnership with HSI/India will kindle the much-needed investment in this field.”
Better approach
Researchers have been critically assessing the validity and reliability of data obtained from animal experimentation to predict human outcomes and develop a better understanding of the human physiology.
New approach methodologies that do not involve the use of live animals are demonstrating more human relevance and thus promise improved outcomes for human health protection and medical interventions.
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