Background: Over the past 20 years, cultured meat has drawn a
lot of public attention as a potential solution to issues with animal
husbandry, including inadequate use of
natural sources, improper animal welfare practices, and possible risks
to public health and safety. The novel method of producing meat through culture
reduces the need for animals to produce muscle fiber, thereby obviating the necessity for animal slaughter.
Apart from its ethical advantages, cultured meat presents a possible way to
fulfill the expanding need for food among growing populations. The
purpose of this research was to find out whether Turkish students would be
willing to pay for and accept cultured meat.
Technique: Method: 371 university students who willingly
consented to fill out a questionnaire and provide demographic data make up the
research sample. Questions from previous studies on the acceptability of
cultured meat were compiled to create the survey. The research’s data
collection took place in March and April of 2022. The research was completed in
June 2022 after the data had been processed and analyzed. Results: The
results showed that the majority of participants were female and had omnivorous
eating habits. Based on the results of the Bonferroni correction test, students
with a higher intention to purchase and consume cultured meat were those who received economics and business education.
Students with two years of university education had a higher overall survey
score than those with four years of education (p < 0.05).
Furthermore, it is discovered that there is a negative correlation between the
participants’ ages and their Factor 2 (using
cultured meat as an alternative to industrial meat) and Factor 3 (consuming and
purchasing it) section points (r = -109, p = 0.036) (r = -0.121, p =
0.019). In conclusion, university students generally have a negative outlook on
health-related issues, such as eating cultured meat as an alternative.
References
[1]
Chriki, S., Ellies-Oury, M.-P. and Hocquette, J.-F. (2022) Is “Cultured Meat” a Viable Alternative to Slaughtering Animals and a Good Comprise between Animal Welfare and Human Expectations? Animal Frontiers, 12, 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfac002
[2]
Weinrich, R., Strack, M. and Neugebauer, F. (2020) Consumer Acceptance of Cultured Meat in Germany. Meat Science, 162, Article No. 107924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.107924
[3]
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2018) World Livestock: Transforming the Livestock Sector through the Sustainable Development Goals.
[4]
Sabaté, J. and Soret, S. (2014) Sustainability of Plant-Based Diets: Back to the Future. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 100, S476-S482. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.071522
[5]
Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P.J., Wassenaar, T., Castel, V., Rosales, M. and De Haan, C. (2006) Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[6]
Claus, L. (2003) Nutrition Ecology: The Contribution of Vegetarian Diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78, S657-S659. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/78.3.657S
[7]
Maxwell, S.L., Fuller, R.A., Brooks, T.M. and Watson, J.E.M. (2016) Biodiversity: The Ravages of Guns, Nets and Bulldozers. Nature, 536, 143-145. https://doi.org/10.1038/536143a
[8]
Lee, S.Y., Kang, H.J., Kang, J.H., Ramani, S., Park, S. and Hur, S.J. (2021) Principal Protocols for the Processing of Cultured Meat. Journal of Animal Science and Technology, 63, 673-680. https://doi.org/10.5187/jast.2021.e40
[9]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2023) https://www.cdc.gov
[10]
Bhat, Z.F. and Fayaz, H. (2011) Prospectus of Cultured Meat—Advancing Meat Alternatives. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 48, 125-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-010-0198-7
[11]
Post, M.J. and Hocquette, J.-F. (2017) New Sources of Animal Proteins: Cultured Meat. In: Purslow, P.P., Ed., New Aspects of Meat Quality, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, 425-441. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100593-4.00017-5
[12]
Hocquette, J.-F. (2016) Is in Vitro Meat the Solution for the Future? Meat Science, 120, 167-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.04.036
[13]
Ng, E.T., Singh, S., Yap, W.S., Tay, S.H. and Choudhury, D. (2023) Cultured Meat—A Patentometric Analysis. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 63, 2738-2748. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1980760
[14]
Verbeke, W., Marcu, A., Rutsaert, P., Gaspar, R., Seibt, B., Fletcher, D. and Barnett, J. (2015) ‘Would You Eat Cultured Meat?’: Consumers’ Reactions and Attitude Formation in Belgium, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Meat Science, 102, 49-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.11.013
[15]
Turp, G.Y., Elikücük, Y. and Kücükyurt, F. (2022) Yapay et: üretim Yontemleri, Teknolojik ve Etik Kisitlamalar, Sürdürülebilirlige Katkisi, Sidas, Izmir.
[16]
Mancini, M.C. and Antonioli, F. (2019) Exploring Consumers’ Attitude towards Cultured Meat in Italy. Meat Science, 150, 101-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.12.014
[17]
Francekovic, P., García-Torralba, L., Sakoulogeorga, E., Vuckovic, T. and Perez-Cueto, F.J. (2021) How Do Consumers Perceive Cultured Meat in Croatia, Greece, and Spain? Nutrients, 13, Article 1284. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041284
[18]
Palmieri, N., Perito, M.A. and Lupi, C. (2020) Consumer Acceptance of Cultured Meat: Some Hints from Italy. British Food Journal, 123, 109-123. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-02-2020-0092
[19]
Wilks, M. and Phillips, C.J.C. (2017) Attitudes to in Vitro Meat: A Survey of Potential Consumers in the United States. PLOS ONE, 12, e0171904. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171904
[20]
Román, S., Sánchez-Siles, L.M. and Siegrist, M. (2017) The Importance of Food Naturalness for Consumers: Results of a Systematic Review. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 67, 44-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2017.06.010
[21]
Siegrist, M., Sütterlin, B. and Hartmann, C. (2018) Perceived Naturalness and Evoked Disgust Influence Acceptance of Cultured Meat. Meat Science, 139, 213-219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.02.007
[22]
Hocquette, A., Lambert, C., Sinquin, C., Peterolff, L., Wagner, Z., Bonny, S.P.F., et al. (2015) Educated Consumers don’t Believe Artificial Meat is the Solution to the Problems with the Meat Industry. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14, 273-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(14)60886-8
[23]
Hocquette, é., Liu, J., Ellies-Oury, M.P., Chriki, S. and Hocquette, J.F. (2022) Does the Future of Meat in France Depend on Cultured Muscle Cells? Answers from Different Consumer Segments. Meat Science, 188, Article 108776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108776
[24]
Slade, P. (2018) If You Build It, Will They Eat It? Consumer Preferences for Plant-Based and Cultured Meat Burgers. Appetite, 125, 428-437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.02.030
[25]
Bryant, C. and Barnett, J. (2018) Consumer Acceptance of Cultured Meat: A Systematic Review. Meat Science, 143, 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.04.008
[26]
Laestadius, L.I. (2015) Public Perceptions of the Ethics of In-vitro Meat: Determining an Appropriate Course of Action. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 28, 991-1009. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-015-9573-8
[27]
Verbeke, W., Sans, P. and Van Loo, E.J. (2015) Challenges and Prospects for Consumer Acceptance of Cultured Meat. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14, 285-294. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(14)60884-4
[28]
Türkiye Istatistik Kurumu (n.d.). Hayvancilik Istatistikleri. https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=Hayvansal-Uretim-Istatistikleri-Haziran-2022-45594
Wang, O. and Scrimgeour, F. (2023) Consumer Segmentation and Motives for Choice of Cultured Meat in two Chinese Cities: Shanghai and Chengdu. British Food Journal, 125, 396-414. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2021-0987
[31]
Chandimala, U.R., Gunathilake, D.M.C.C., Vidanapathirana, N.P. and Rifnas, L.M. (2022) Perception of Cultured Meat among Sri Lankan Community. Journal of Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences, 1, 21-26. https://doi.org/10.4038/atrsj.v1i2.33
[32]
Zhang, M., Li, L. and Bai, J. (2020) Consumer Acceptance of Cultured Meat in Urban Areas of Three Cities in China. Food Control, 118, Article 107390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107390
[33]
Hossain, F., Onyango, B., Adelaja, A., Schilling, B. and Hallman, W. (2004) Consumer Acceptance of Food Biotechnology: Willingness to Buy Genetically Modified Food Products. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 15, 53-76. https://doi.org/10.1300/J047v15n01_04
[34]
Ogur, S., Aksoy, A. and Yilmaz, Z. (2017) üniversite Ogrencilerinin Genetigi Degistirilmis Organizmalar ve Gidalar Hakkindaki Bilgi Düzeyleri ve Tutumlari: Bitlis Eren üniversitesi Ornegi. Journal of Food and Health Science, 3, 97-108. https://doi.org/10.3153/JFHS17013
[35]
Newcombe, M.A., McCarthy, M.B., Cronin, J.M. and McCarthy, S.N. (2012) “Eat Like a Man”. A Social Constructionist Analysis of the Role of Food in Men’s Lives. Appetite, 59, 391-398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.05.031
[36]
Çinar, C., Karinen, A.K. and Tybur, J.M. (2021) The Multidimensional Nature of Food Neophobia. Appetite, 162, Article 105177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105177
[37]
Han, J.H. and Harrison, R.W. (2007) Factors Influencing Urban Consumers’ Acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 29, 700-719. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9353.2007.00382.x
[38]
Magnusson, M.K. and Hursti, U.-K.K. (2002) Consumer Attitudes towards Genetically Modified Foods. Appetite, 39, 9-24. https://doi.org/10.1006/appe.2002.0486
[39]
McCrae, R.R., Costa, P.T., De Lima, M.P., Simoes, A., Ostendorf, F., Angleitner, A., et al. (1999) Age Differences in Personality across the Adult Life Span: Parallels in Five Cultures. Developmental Psychology, 35, 466-477. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.35.2.466
[40]
United Nations (2023) Youth Stats: Environment and Climate Change. https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/environment-climate-change/
[41]
Alagoz, N., Tarkocin, S. and Taze, A. (2019) Cocuk Gelisimi Programi On Lisans Ogrencilerinin Bireysel Yenilikcilik Düzeylerinin Cesitli Degiskenlere Gore Incelenmesi. Akademik Matbuat, 3, 43-58.
[42]
Choudhury, D., Tseng, T. W. and Swartz, E. (2020) The Business of Cultured Meat. Trends in Biotechnology, 38, 573-577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.02.012
[43]
Dance, A. (2017) Engineering the Animal Out of Animal Products. Nature Biotechnology, 35, 704-707. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3933
[44]
Ye, Y., Zhou, J., Guan, X. and Sun, X. (2022) Commercialization of Cultured Meat Products: Current Status, Challenges, and Strategic Prospects. Future Foods, 6, Article 100177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2022.100177