Vegetarians could soon “start eating meat again”, Luke O’Neill has predicted. 

The Trinity Professor said a lot of “exciting” research on lab grown meat is being carried out and it could usher in a revolution in what people eat. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, Professor O’Neill has it also could mean big changes in agriculture. 

“The farms of the future could be loads of vats full of cells and broth and the meat is grown in the vat,” he said. 

“Could you imagine? They’re making progress all the time on this.” 

A farmer in Ireland walking behind a herd of cows on a narrow country road on Valentia Island in County Kerry, Ireland. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Notably, lab grown meat could also help the planet reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions. 

“12% of all greenhouse gases come off farm animals,” he said. 

“If you could replace them with vats full of cells growing, you would cut carbon emissions - which is one big benefit.” 

There are currently two companies which are making lab grown meat that is sold as pet food. 

“In the UK, there’s a company called Supplier Meats that are making chicken with chicken cells, grown in a broth,” he said. 

“They’re making pet food out of that and it’s on the shelves in supermarkets in the UK.” 

A dog watching his owner eat. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

While lab grown meat is currently much more expensive than traditional food, further research could change that. 

“What’s amazing is €2.5 billion worth of investments going into this worldwide,” Professor O’Neill said. 

“So many companies are trying to achieve this goal of lab grown meat as it were.

“What it might mean is vegetarians could start eating meat again because there’s no animals being harmed. 

“There’s a massive market in vegetarians.” 

Professor O’Neill said technology behind lab grown meat is advancing at a rapid pace. 

“You can take cells from an animal, grow them in this big vat - muscle cells, that would be what meat is made of anyway,” he said. 

“You’re adding collagen, you’re adding various support networks and then a very important ingredient called growth factors and they get the cells to grow, effectively into a lump of meat. 

“Then you’ve got to process it in various ways but every month or two, they say they’re making progress.”

Lab grown meat is currently not available in the European Union.

Main image: Luke O'Neill speaking on The Pat Kenny Show. Picture by: Newstalk