I Sampled Lab-Grown Salmon: Here’s My Taste Experience.

I have been a dedicated vegan for over three years, but recently I found myself trying something unexpected: lab-grown meat. Unlike traditional meat sourced from slaughterhouses or fisheries, the cultivated meat I sampled was designed to eliminate the need for killing animals. My experience took place at José Andrés’ restaurant Oyamel in downtown Washington, D.C., during an event hosted by Food Solutions Action, an alternate protein industry group. The dishes I tried came from two pioneering cultivated meat companies, Wildtype and GOOD Meat, and included two different salmon preparations and a chicken dish—all offered free of charge. The event showcased the emerging world of lab-grown protein amid a backdrop of heated debates about its viability and safety.

The first dish I sampled was a piece of Wildtype salmon gravlax accompanied by guacamole, which particularly excited me since gravlax is a beloved dish I missed after adopting a vegetarian lifestyle four years ago. Although it didn’t perfectly replicate the taste of traditional lox, the cultivated salmon held its own with a savory and pleasantly fishy flavor. I found that the thin preparation of the salmon helped emphasize its meaty texture, which is a crucial aspect of cultivated meat products that often face criticism. My second salmon dish was more straightforward—a ceviche-like creation featuring cubed salmon, avocado, pecans, and a zesty dressing. In this instance, I noticed a more pronounced sponginess in the Wildtype salmon, indicating that while it may not yet flawlessly mimic conventional fish, there’s a clear and ongoing effort to refine these products.

The chicken dish I tried from GOOD Meat was served as a taco with beans and salsa, and this tasting experience was particularly striking. In the past, I had sampled GOOD Meat’s chicken and found it less convincing; however, in this recent tasting, the texture had vastly improved. The cultivated chicken exhibited a pleasant “shreddy” texture that resembles that of shredded chicken thighs. This meant that it was not overly bouncy, as is often the case with lab-grown protein. The first bite was surprising enough that I had to take a second to fully appreciate how realistic it was compared to traditional poultry.

Despite my positive experience, the legalization and acceptance of lab-grown meat face significant hurdles. States like Florida and Alabama have acted to ban the production and sale of cultivated meat, raising concerns about how consumers will be able to access such innovations. Two states’ legislative actions reflect broader cultural anxieties about lab-grown protein and its implications for the meat industry. However, many other states considered doing the same but ultimately did not pass similar bans. This regulatory environment creates an uncertain future for cultivated meat as it attempts to gain a foothold in the market.

Environmental and ethical advocates are closely monitoring the cultivated meat space, considering its potential to mitigate the ecological costs of traditional animal farming. Glenn Hurowitz, CEO of Mighty Earth, noted the industry’s potential, emphasizing that while cultivated meat shows promise, it remains in early development stages and the actual, scalable production is still a goal, rather than an achievement. The fear exhibited by the traditional meat industry regarding cultivated products suggests that they recognize the potential disruption to their market, which is a positive signal for advocates of sustainable food practices.

In summary, while my firsthand contact with lab-grown meat was enlightening and offered a glimpse into a future of animal-free protein options, the journey toward broader acceptance remains complicated by legislative and cultural resistance. My experiences highlight the importance and urgency of ongoing innovation and public discourse around cultured meat as part of a necessary shift in our food systems. If cultivated meat is to realize its potential in promoting sustainability and ethical consumption, it will need to overcome significant hurdles, not only in production but also in consumer acceptance and regulatory environment.