labgrown

Labgrown is a term used to describe products or materials produced in a laboratory or controlled environment through synthetic or cultured processes rather than harvested from natural sources. The phrase applies across sectors such as food, minerals, and biology, and is often used interchangeably with cultured, synthetic, or lab-cultured in everyday usage. In general, labgrown results from deliberate design of growth conditions, cell cultures, or deposition methods to emulate natural materials.

In food, lab-grown (or cultured) meat refers to muscle tissue produced from animal cells in bioreactors, potentially without raising and slaughtering animals. Techniques include obtaining cells from a donor and expanding them into muscle fibers on scaffolds. Cultured meat has been promoted for animal welfare and environmental reasons, though production costs and scalability remain topics of debate. The first public demonstration of cultured beef occurred in 2013. Regulatory statuses vary by country; Singapore approved cultured meat for sale in 2020, and the United States and other jurisdictions have established or proposed oversight frameworks.

In materials, lab-grown diamonds are created in laboratories using high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods to produce crystals with the same chemical composition as natural diamonds, with applications ranging from jewelry to industrial tools. Other lab-grown products include cultured leather, bioengineered tissues, and pharmaceutical compounds produced via cell culture.

Overall, labgrown products are valued for potential reductions in resource use and environmental footprint, but face challenges related to cost, energy intensity, regulatory approval, labeling, and consumer acceptance. The term remains broad and its meaning can vary by context.