French tech start-up Gourmey is working on lab-grown foie gras that would allow restaurants to serve the luxury delicacy in an ethical way.
The traditional French duck liver product is a controversial delicacy with strong opposition in many countries. The objections relate to the inhumane method of 'gavage', or force-feeding, whereby a metal funnel is inserted into the birds' throats, and the animals are force-fed beyond their natural requirements - even several times a day in the case of geese and ducks. Foie gras production has been banned in countries across Europe since 2016, with only five countries continuing the practice - Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, and Spain.
French technology start-up Gourmey, which focuses on poultry meat cultured from cells, is trying to change this practice. It has raised $10 million to develop its technology. The company is working on cultured foie gras, or as they call it, foie gras without slaughter and violence, made from duck stem cells, a difficult task but one they say is achievable. By all accounts, the product looks and tastes like the genuine article. One unnamed Michelin chef reportedly said he couldn't tell the difference.
The process involves extracting stem cells from a duck egg and feeding them nutrients to culture the product. "There are stem cells in the egg that can divide and multiply indefinitely if they have a good environment," said co-founder and CEO Nicolas Morin-Forest. "We isolate them from the egg and provide them with a controlled environment that mimics that of the egg. Once the cells are fed the same nutrients a duck would receive, they multiply just like they would in an egg. We then adjust the nutrients to trigger the desired cell type. So if you want liver cells or muscle cells, you adjust the inputs and the cells respond. Finally, we harvest the muscle, fat, or liver cells and create our products," Morin-Forest adds.
Despite the ethical issues surrounding the production of foie gras, the ingredient remains popular among diners and chefs alike. An ethical alternative would undoubtedly benefit fans of the delicacy, especially in France.
Gourmey wants to sell its product at the same price as traditional foie gras and hopes that top chefs, in particular, will be proactive in introducing their new lab-grown foie gras and serving it in their restaurants. If customers see this ethical alternative to the renowned delicacy on the menus of many top restaurants, it is hoped that this innovation will find its way into mainstream stores.
