Aleph Farms produces slaughter-free meat in space

Israel-based cultivated beef steaks producer Aleph Farms has collaborated with Russian company 3D Bioprinting Solutions to produce its first slaughter-free meat in space.

The company said it was successful in producing meat on the International Space Station (ISS), 339km away from any natural resources.

Co-founded with the food-tech incubator The Kitchen and Technion University professor Shulamit Levenberg, Aleph Farms collaborated with the Russian firm, US-based firms Meal Source Technologies and Finless Foods for this project.

Aleph Farms co-founder and CEO Didier Toubia said: “In space, we don’t have 10,000 or 15,000l (3962.58 Gallon) of water available to produce one kilogram (2.205lb) of beef.

“This joint experiment marks a significant first step toward achieving our vision to ensure food security for generations to come while preserving our natural resources.

“This keystone of human achievement in space follows Yuri Gagarin’s success of becoming the first man to journey into outer space, and Neil Armstrong’s 50th anniversary this year, celebrating the moment when the first man walked on space.”

The company produces beef steaks by mimicking the natural process of muscle-tissue regeneration occurring inside the cow’s body but in a controlled environment.

Aleph Farms said that the experiment was carried out in the Russian segment of the ISS, where it was successful in demonstrating a small-scale muscle tissue in a 3D bioprinter, developed by 3D Bioprinting Solutions, under microgravity conditions.

The Kitchen CEO Jonathan Berger said: “The mission of providing access to high-quality nutrition anytime, anywhere in a sustainable way is an increasing challenge for all humans.

“On Earth or up above, we count on innovators like Aleph Farms to take the initiative to provide solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as the climate crisis.”

In May, Cargill invested in Aleph Farms, which focuses on growing complex meat varieties such as steak.

The company participated in Aleph Farms’ Series A investment round of $11.65m led by VisVires New Protein, along with other investors seeking to move the meat company’s product from prototype to the commercial marketplace.