Abstract
Meat has played a central role in human evolution, shaping not only our diets but also our societies, cultures, and technolo
gies. From early hunting practice to the domestication and systematic production of livestock, the history of meat produc
tion closely parallels human development. Today, however, industrial meat production faces growing challenges, including
environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, ethical concerns, and evolving consumer expectations. In this review, the
transformation of meat production is discussed, with a focus on emerging scientific and technological innovations aimed
at improving meat quality, sustainability, and production efficiency. In addition, the concept of cellular agriculture is sum
marized as a complementary approach for producing future agricultural products, including protein sources, along with
conventional meat production and other meat alternative technologies. The future of meat is not merely a technological
challenge, but a multidisciplinary endeavor, as the market introduction of cell-based foods, a key component of cellular
agriculture, broadens the meat science landscape and enables innovation to advance alongside conventional meat produc
tion in support of sustainable and resilient food systems.