Is the day almost here when shops will sell food made from artificial meat that "bleeds" just like real meat? Experts say so, as meat-free foods become widely available in some countries.

Concern is growing about how people's diets affect the environment and health, while interest in vegetarian eating is rising. Vegan versions of many meat products are coming out, such as vegan sausage rolls and vegan burgers.

• The "meat" in these products looks like traditional meat, and its smell and taste are also like real meat; it even "bleeds".
• It is made from plant proteins, usually from wheat, peas or potatoes, and the "blood" comes from beetroot juice.
• The animal component that gives beef its colour and flavour is called "heme". An American firm, Impossible Foods, has recently made a plant-based heme, which it believes will give artificial meat the appearance of the real thing.

Scientists are now also making artificial meat in laboratories from animal stem cells. Their goal is artificial meat that is almost impossible to distinguish from real meat when cooked or eaten.

Some supermarkets in the West now have meat-free sections. Food made with lab-grown artificial meat has not yet reached shops or restaurants, but it is expected to be available within a few years.

Source: BBC Bangla. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.