Abstract
•Evaluated the acceptance and awareness of informed and professional consumers towards cultured meat.•The respondents were food science scholars and veterinary professionals.•Results revealed some important information for the researchers.•Scientific evidence is required to prove the safety and environmental benefits of this novel product.
The present study aimed at evaluating the awareness and acceptance of informed and professional consumers towards cultured meat. A survey-based study was conducted using 295 food science scholars and 105 veterinary professionals as respondents. The study was designed to decipher whether knowledge about meat and food production affects the acceptance of cultured meat. The majority of the respondents were male (54 %), ate meat (73 %) and showed preferences for red meat (65 %). The majority of the respondents were not sure (neither agreed nor disagreed) that cultured meat is healthy (69 %) and were not sure about its long-term effects on human health (73 %). The majority agreed that it does not seem to be healthier than conventional meat (91 %) and perceived it to be unnatural (86 %), decreasing the natural quality of meat and meat products (58 %). The majority were not sure about its safety (86 %), impact on the environment (44 %) and low carbon footprint (58 %) and disagreed it would improve animal welfare and reduce animal suffering (58 %). The majority agreed that there is not enough scientific evidence and data to support its safety (52 %) and is likely to be harmful to human health (86 %). While 39 % of the respondents stated that the media usually provides a biased view, the majority (80 %) believed its benefits are often grossly overstated and exaggerated. The majority were not sure about its impact on future generations, agreed it could be risky to switch too quickly (48 %) and disagreed it would replace conventional meat (89 %).