Yuki Hanyu is a Japanese scientist specializing in chemistry and nanotechnology. His dream is simple: to democratize laboratory-grown meat and bring it directly into your kitchen. Prominent member of the collective Shojinmeat Projecthe co-founded IntegriCulture, a start-up that develops futuristic devices intended to democratize meat manufacturing homemade.
The name “Shojinmeat» refers to traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisine “shojin ryori”a set of vegetarian dishes without any animal products. The originality of the project? Offering meat that does not harm animal welfare or the planet, by combining tradition and cutting-edge technology.
Concretely, how does artificial meat work? It is first cultivated in the laboratory from animal cells, as explained in the IFL Science article. A small sample of stem cells is placed in a bioreactor: they multiply there and form a tissue close to muscle and fat, which will become an ersatz steak or schnitzel.
Until now, this process required sophisticated industrial equipment. IntegriCulture’s innovation was to develop a compact version for domestic use. No bigger than one air fryerthe device along with all the necessary ingredients could easily be available for purchase online. According to the researcher, a complete kit would cost around 350 euros.
Technology accessible to as many people as possible
Making this technology accessible is Yuki Hanyu’s hobby horse. The Shojinmeat website even already offers a step-by-step guide, in open sourcefor apprentice meat farmers. For now, chicken seems to be the easiest to recreate at home.
“We have succeeded in developing an entirely DIY version of animal cell culture protocols, Yuki Hanyu recently welcomed the BBC. Place the cells in a suitable culture medium, under optimal conditions, for an extended period of time and they proliferate.”
However, a crucial question remains: are consumers ready to swallow a chicken breast made by a machine? A survey carried out in 2024 reveals that 33% of Americans would not even consider tasting it…
Beyond the question of taste (or disgust), the ecological promise deserves to be qualified. According to some studies, large-scale production of this home-grown meat emits between four and twenty-five times more greenhouse gases than global beef farming.
So, should you swap your free-range chicken for a test-tube schnitzel? If the idea puts you off, there are insect tagliatelle or python steak. Strange, certainly, but who knows, maybe they will be our grandchildren’s new Instagrammable dishes.
