To find out more about the podcast go to Is the global food crisis a problem that only tech can solve with Illtud Dunsford.
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Cultivated Meat and the Global Food Crisis: Tech, Scale, and Sustainability with Ikht Dunsford
Episode overview
In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, host David Ellerman speaks with Ikht Dunsford, CEO and co-founder of Cellular Agriculture Limited, about whether technology alone can solve the global food crisis. The conversation places cultivated or lab-grown meat within the broader context of environmental pressures and growing demand, asking how a new manufacturing paradigm might complement traditional farming rather than replace it. The discussion acknowledges that while cultivated foods could reduce some negative environmental footprints, inputs and connections to existing agriculture remain essential.
"there need to be other ways that you could offer people the same choice that they have historically had, but that that choice is better for the planet" - Zuhlke
Throughout the talk, the guests explain cultivated foods as products derived from animal cells that can be processed into meat or other edible components. They describe how cells are fed with nutrients and grown under controlled conditions, then transformed into familiar food products with nutrition equivalent to traditional meat. Ikht details the hollow fibre membrane technology that underpins this approach, highlighting how tiny membranes replicate vascular systems to deliver nutrients directly to cells while facilitating waste removal. This mechanism aims to reduce the stresses on cells during growth and enable more scalable production than traditional stainless steel bioreactors.
"the hollow fibre membranes essentially replicate vascular systems" - Ikht Dunsford
Cultivated meat technology and the scaling challenge
The core technology, hollow fibre membranes, is placed against a backdrop of a decade of development since 2016. Ikht explains the progression from a tiny proof-of-concept reactor (about 60 millimetres long) to modular, scalable systems designed for industrial production. The team has pursued a scale-out, modular approach rather than single, enormous stainless steel vats, arguing that a flexible, multi-unit strategy can reach commercial scale more efficiently. They also note that, despite scale, the industry must still rely on inputs from conventional agriculture for feedstock nutrients, underscoring that cultivated meat is not a wholesale replacement for farming but a more efficient means to achieve similar outputs with a smaller environmental footprint. As the interview progresses, the parallels to software engineering become evident, with patient, staged development and deliberate market-readiness as guiding principles rather than hype.
"The sweet spot is ambitious but achievable goals that others haven't recognised yet" - Zuhlke
R&D trajectory, investment, and the industry landscape
Zuhlke connects the cultivated meat space with broader technology development patterns, emphasizing that true breakthroughs require a confluence of technology, infrastructure, and market readiness. They draw analogies to AI and autonomous vehicle programs, underscoring the value of evolutionary progress and staged milestones over revolutions. Ikht shares that in the cultivated foods industry, early ground has been laid by pioneering companies reaching regulatory approvals in various regions, while others remain pre-commercial and focused on the core science and scale-up challenges. The discussion also points to a shift in government support, with UK initiatives and other public investment helping academia bridge the gap to commercialization. The takeaway is that scale remains the central hurdle, and patient capital, supportive policy, and practical manufacturing pathways are essential to move from concept to kitchen shelves.
"Technology is a powerful amplifier, but it amplifies human decisions, both good and bad" - Zuhlke
Why cultivated foods matter for climate and food security
The conversation turns to planetary boundaries and the environmental footprint of current farming practices. Cattle production is highlighted as resource-intensive, with potential reductions in land and water use by cultivating meat. Ikht notes that while cultivated foods can substantially cut resource demands, they still require inputs from agriculture, so the full environmental gains depend on the entire supply chain, including energy sources and feedstock procurement. The discussion also considers climate-related pressures on traditional crop production, such as coffee and chocolate, and how cultivated meat could contribute to resilience by diversifying protein supply and reducing dependence on highly variable agricultural systems. Finally, the role of consumer acceptance and regulatory progress is considered, along with the need to balance innovation with pragmatism to achieve scalable, affordable solutions.
"Technology is a powerful amplifier, but it amplifies human decisions" - Zuhlke
Closing thoughts and the broader horizon
As the dialogue winds down, the speakers stress that technology is not a panacea for world hunger or climate risk, but a powerful instrument that, when combined with thoughtful policy and responsible stewardship, can shift the trajectory of global food systems. They suggest potential futures in which cultivated and traditional foods coexist, offering consumers choices that align with personal values and environmental concerns. The overall message is one of cautious optimism, acknowledging the substantial work ahead while recognizing the potential for cultivated meat to contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable and secure food landscape.
"Definitely not. I think humans can have a huge impact. In solving this problem, it's whether we choose to or not" - Ikht Dunsford
