Cultured dairy, also known as “cell-based” dairy, uses cultures of fungi, yeast, or animal cells to produce milk that’s identical to conventional animal dairy. Currently, almost all dairy demand is met through conventional farming, with global milk production in 2018 standing at 820 million tons. This figure could rise by as much as 50% by 2050 as dairy becomes more popular in fast-growing developing countries. 

However, conventional dairy farming has a range of inherent problems, stemming from its exploitation of farmed animals and the environment. This paper considers the various advantages of cultured dairy over conventional dairy, and the developments needed to unlock these benefits. Ongoing research will be required as the cultured dairy industry is scaled-up and more data becomes available. 

The author explores several advantages of cultured over conventional dairy. First, it could significantly reduce carbon emissions. Ruminant animals used in dairy farming produce the highly potent greenhouse gas, methane during digestion. Dairy cows alone contribute 4% to global greenhouse gas emissions. Cultured dairy removes this emission source entirely. Instead, its carbon footprint stems mostly from electricity used by bioreactors and feedstock production for cell cultures. Even so, cultured dairy would produce 60-90% less greenhouse gasses than conventional dairy. 

Second, cultured production uses much less water than conventional dairy. It takes 1,000 liters of water to produce 1 liter of milk conventionally, due to the needs of animals. Cultured production could reduce this usage by 90%, as cell cultures convert milk directly into a nutrient medium. In water-stressed areas, these savings will be crucial as dairy demand increases. 

Similarly, cultured production would use 95% less land than dairy farming, which requires agricultural land for farmed animals, along with their feed. Currently, 30% of all arable land is used to grow feed for farmed animals. In contrast, cultured dairy only requires compact facilities, freeing up land for reforestation or plant farming. Removing manure and fertilizer run-off from these areas would also protect local waterways and ecosystems from pollution.

These advantages mean that cell-based dairy could more effectively meet rising food needs. Some estimates suggest that a large-scale bioreactor could produce as much milk daily as 300 cows annually. Even a fraction of this efficiency would mean that cultured dairy better provides for growing populations than conventional dairy. 

Lastly, cultured dairy avoids the significant welfare concerns associated with animal farming. Animals exploited for their milk experience intense suffering: slaughter, infections, lameness, dehorning, and mother-child separation are just some of the inevitable consequences of dairy farming. By avoiding these issues in production, cultured dairy represents significant moral progress from conventional dairy. 

The author also considers developments needed to unlock the potential of cultured dairy. Primary among these is achieving price parity with conventional dairy products. This will require work in production, marketing, and regulation of cultured dairy. In production, developing cell cultures which more efficiently express milk proteins is a priority. The content of growth mediums for these cultures must also be refined. Optimizing the design of bioreactors to provide the best conditions for cultured milk production is also vital.

Regulating cultured dairy is another challenge. Its novelty may mean that it’s held to higher standards than conventional dairy, even if the end product is indistinguishable. Designing legal frameworks to shape industry practice, product safety, and labeling will take time, and could add years to the scale-up of cultured dairy. Science-based collaboration between regulators, developers, and stakeholders is essential. 

The novelty of cultured products also poses challenges at the consumer level. Around 75% of U.S. and U.K. consumers demonstrate intrigue in trying cultured dairy, but this intrigue must translate into loyal consumership to financially support the industry. Also, consumer comfort drops when details about bioreactor synthesis are shared, suggesting it’s important to communicate the safety of the production process. Before cultured dairy is price-competitive with conventional dairy, it should be marketed towards potential early adopters, like young people and vegans. Smart marketing will support the continued scale-up of the industry.

Ongoing research will be needed as the industry develops. Continuing to study the environmental impacts of cultured dairy will refine the current models of carbon emissions and resource usage. Additionally, financial studies and consumer surveys must guide production scale-up and marketing strategies. Thus far, price and taste remain the biggest priorities for consumers. Ensuring it is just as favorable on these parameters as conventional dairy will be key in developing a loyal customer base. 

In sum, cultured dairy promises significant advantages over conventional dairy, like reducing animal suffering and decreasing strain on local and global environmental systems. However, key technological and strategic challenges remain to be overcome — production costs and consumer acceptance are primary here. Engineering developments, financial modeling, and an understanding of customer perceptions will be vital in ensuring the rapid scale-up of cultured dairy. If successful, this new industry could reap numerous benefits.