Cargill Inc, Bill Gates bet on 'clean' meat

Chicago

CARGILL INC, one of the largest global agricultural companies, has joined Bill Gates and other business giants to invest in a nascent technology to make meat from self-producing animal cells amid rising consumer demand for protein that's less reliant on feed, land and water.

Memphis Meats, which produces beef, chicken and duck directly from animal cells without raising and slaughtering livestock or poultry, raised US$17 million from investors including Cargill, Mr Gates and billionaire Richard Branson, according to a statement on Tuesday on the San Francisco-based startup's website.