Does Lab Grown Meat Cause Cancer?

Does Lab Grown Meat Cause Cancer? The claim that lab grown meat or artificial meat has the potential to cause cancer depends on another claim that cancerous animal cells are used in production of lab grown meat. Is this claim false or true?

Claim 1: Cancerous Animal Cells Are used to Produce Lab Grown Meat

This claim has been debunked by FDA. “The claim that cancer or pre-cancerous cells are used in the process of cell-cultivated food is false,” the FDA said in response to questions regarding the matter.

Claim 2: Lab Grown Meat May Cause Cancer

There is currently no conclusive evidence that lab-grown meat (also known as cultured meat) causes cancer. However, like any emerging food technology, its long-term health effects are still being studied.

Some cultured meat production uses growth factors (like hormones) to stimulate cell growth. In high amounts or long-term exposure, certain growth factors could theoretically promote cancer cell growth.

Some cell lines used in lab-grown meat may be genetically modified for efficiency, raising questions about unintended effects (though GMOs in food are generally considered safe).

The use of scaffolds, bioreactors, or synthetic nutrients might introduce unknown risks if not properly regulated.