TO WHAT EXTENT CAN LAB-GROWN MEAT REPLACE TRADITIONAL ANIMAL FARMING IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY, NUTRITION, AND CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE IN THE ROMANIAN URBAN SOCIETY ?
Abstract
Throughout human history, meat consumption has served as a critical driver of evolutionary encephalization, providing dense, highly bioavailable essential amino acids and micronutrients vital for human physiology. However, modern global livestock production faces mounting environmental and ethical challenges, accelerating academic and industrial interest in lab-grown (cultured) meat as a cellular agriculture alternative. This paper investigates the viability of cultured meat across nutritional, historical, technical, and consumer dimensions, complemented by a quantitative cross-sectional survey (N = 132) examining consumer attitudes, perceptions, and behavioral intent within Romania. Comprehensive desk research reveals major technical and economic bottlenecks; despite promises of land reduction, industrial growth media purification currently generates significant global warming potential while maintaining non-competitive production costs (17–38/kg). Furthermore, nutritional profiling of in-vitro tissue demonstrates key compositional disparities, including reduced indispensable amino acid density alongside elevated sodium and saturated fatty acids. Empirical survey results gathered in 2026 indicate a strong initial openness among a predominantly younger demographic, with 67.4% expressing a willingness to purchase cultured meat. Nonetheless, substantial psychological and perceptual barriers persist: 81.1% of respondents view cultured meat as inherently unnatural, 69.7% harbor severe concerns regarding long-term health risks, and 70.5% remain skeptical that cellular agriculture can replace conventional livestock farming within the next 50 years. Evaluated via five-point Likert scales, environmental sustainability (4.06/5.00) and animal welfare (3.97/5.00) emerged as the primary drivers of adoption, whereas health uncertainties (3.73/5.00) and retail pricing (3.57/5.00) remain significant deterrents. Ultimately, while conditional consumer openness exists, successful commercial transition requires key biotechnological enhancements, transition to renewable energy inputs, transparent ingredient disclosures, and proactive regulatory frameworks to address deep-seated consumer anxieties regarding food naturalness and long-term safety.