DEAR READERS: This is a continuation of my thoughts on the development of "grown" meat products as an alternative to factory farms and the slaughter of livestock for consumption. For the first part of this discussion, and the letter that prompted it, please see my Feb. 12 column.

Onward to the latest developments and their possibilities and implications:

Canadian meat giant Maple Leaf Foods has teamed with California's The Better Meat Co. to co-create next-level mycelium meats. While vegan burger and sausage manufacturers such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods rely on soy and pea proteins, and Quorn Co. was the first to utilize fungal mycelium, venture funding is stimulating innovations in animal cell culture in bioreactors.

For instance, San Francisco-based Wildtype will grow salmon stem cells in bioreactors, then transfer them to 3D plant-derived scaffolds to recreate the natural texture of fish. Such innovations will take time to reach the market, but could do much to quell the harmful consequences of overfishing, the depletion of ocean life and the inhumane conditions at salmon fish farms. (For details, see fishfeel.org.)

There is also a company using fungal mycelium to create a durable substitute for animal leather, which can then be made into shoes, clothing, wallets and more. For details, including purchase information, go to mycoworks.com.

On the pet food front, Bond Pets is using precision fermentation to create animal proteins that are just like meat. And a new company called Because, Animals is growing rabbit meat for dogs and mice meat for cats using cells from real meat. A growing number of companies, including Good Dog Food (gooddogfood.com), are focusing on cultured meat for companion animals only.

A company in Singapore, Pawsible Foods (pawsiblefoods.com), is another player in the mycelium-based pet nutrition arena. They are doing similar things as Quorn and The Better Meat Co., as far as using fermentation methods and mycelium-based bioprocesses to create food for pets that is cleaner and healthier than traditional meat-based products.

Fungal mycoproteins and other chemical components of mushrooms can heal, as promoted by some holistic veterinarians, notably my old friend Dr. Robert Silver. (For details, see realmushrooms.com and wellpetdispensary.com.) The role of fungi in helping us create safe and near-zero carbon emission foods, meat, fish, dairy and egg substitutes is indeed most promising, and they have been used safely in baking and brewing for centuries.

The powers, qualities and gifts of the fungal kingdom are many, and these organisms play vital roles in forests and other ecosystems. Recapturing these gifts, and in turn helping keep forests -- the lungs of the Earth -- healthy, may put us on the path of scientific redemption, healing and planetary restoration.

Readers interested in more information on this topic may find these two articles enlightening: "The Rise of Cell-Cultured Seafood" by Cliff White (seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/sena-panel-the-rise-of-cell-cultured-seafood) and "Understanding the Cellular Agriculture Industry's Impact and Growth" by Hamid Noori (forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/01/18/understanding-the-cellular-agriculture-industrys-impact-and-growth).

ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS FOR PETS: A WORD OF CAUTION

Regarding all of the promising developments and technologies above, we must still be patient and prudent before rushing to feed our companion animals any unproven products. Allergens remain a possible concern, as always.

The most likely food allergens contributing to canine cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFRs) are beef, dairy products, chicken and wheat. The most common food allergens in cats are beef, fish and chicken. CAFRs include both food hypersensitivities (mediated by the immune system) and food intolerances (not involving the immune system). (For more, see "Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals," R.S. Mueller, et al, biomedcentral.com.)

In light of these findings, I would exercise caution in putting cultivated meats into pet foods. But this is unlikely in the near future anyway, because of the costs in producing animal proteins via biofermentation at this stage of research and development.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 4-year-old terrier mix. There are two situations I am concerned about.

1. He eats irregularly. He'll eat in the morning but not in the evening, or vice versa on other days. He hasn't lost weight, though. I feed him Science Diet food. I have no other problems with him; he is energetic and very loving.

2. I am stressed out because I am going on a cruise soon, and I need to board him for four nights at a dog facility. I have heard many good things about this facility and the care given there, so I booked a small room for him, equipped with a TV. My great concern is that he will not adjust or eat while I am gone.

I am planning on taking him to the facility for dog-sitting for a few afternoons, and possibly a few full days, to become acquainted with the facility and staff. Am I being too obsessed with leaving him? What are your thoughts? -- K.U., via email

DEAR K.U.: As to your first concern: Some (adult) dogs do like a one-per-day meal schedule. Be sure he is getting adequate nutrition, since many manufactured dog foods are inadequate and full of additives and preservatives. You might want to consider transitioning your dog to Earth Animal's Wisdom food, chicken or turkey flavor, which is a slow-cooked, nutrient-retaining kibble. I add a little hot water and let it soak for a while, and my dog relishes it. I add a little grated carrot or crushed blueberries mixed in cottage cheese and a few drops of Nordic Naturals cod liver oil, or on alternate days, a couple of canned sardines.

Sticking to the same feeding routine is important for both dogs and cats. Checking body weight every few weeks is important to gauge if you need to feed more or less.

As for your vacation concerns, some dogs do unfortunately suffer from separation anxiety and refuse to eat. If you cannot get an in-home dog-sitter, try this measure: Have your dog spend two nights at the boarding facility, making sure he gets his usual food, then pick him up and bring him home. This way, he may learn that next time he is left there, it will not be forever. While he is at the facility, leave him a T-shirt you have worn for a couple of days so that the scent can comfort him.

Alternatively, follow the plan you have suggested and then do an overnight stay. I recall, in my veterinary student days, seeing a black Labrador who refused to eat when his owners left him at the vet's boarding facility in a small kennel. He went into rapid decline after a couple of days, but picked up and regained his appetite when I took him for walks and napped with him every afternoon! That was my first lesson in recognizing emotional distress and separation anxiety, and the benefits of understanding animal behavior. Tender, loving attention is an integral aspect of good veterinary care.

DOGS' SOCIAL LIVES AND DISEASE RISKS

Whether it's the dog park, doggie day care, boarding, competitions or training classes, mingling dogs with varied or unknown health histories can present health problems for dogs as well as for their owners. The AVMA has gathered resources on disease risks and safety tips for pets and people during these important social interactions. View AVMA's resources on dogs' social lives and disease risks at: avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/dogs-social-lives-and-disease-risks.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I am very concerned about how animals are raised for consumption. I understand most are raised in confined animal feeding operations. These factories are not only inhumane, but can also lead to water depletion and contamination.

I read that the FDA has approved certain lab-grown meats. Although it sounds strange, this could be a win-win: It could supply cheap meat for carnivores and prevent animals from enduring the terrible treatment in factories and feedlots. What is your opinion? -- L.H., Cleveland Heights, Ohio

DEAR L.H.: There are some legitimate questions concerning consumer safety and environmental risk with genetically engineered foods, which I raised in my 2004 book "Killer Foods: When Scientists Manipulate Genes, Better is Not Always Best."

As Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D., writes at The Defender (ChildrensHealthDefense.org): "Describing the development as 'a food revolution,' the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared lab-grown chicken meat developed by Berkeley, California-based food-tech firm Upside Foods to be safe for human consumption."

But there are still questions to be answered. Another company in this industry, Reboot Food, released a "manifesto" in November. Per its website, Reboot Food is "a campaign of the citizen-led green group RePlanet to phase out animal agriculture for new sustainable alternatives," and in the process, see the farming of plants revolutionized to use less land and fewer chemicals and see our planet rewilded. The pitch continues (as posted on TheAlternative.org): "Thanks to breakthroughs in the tried-and-tested technique of precision fermentation used to brew yeasts and bacteria into plant-based and animal-free proteins (already used widely to produce animal-free rennet and insulin), food innovators have now unlocked the keys to make animal-free proteins and fats that are biologically identical (and just as delicious) as those we currently get from cows and other livestock."

This appropriate use of biotechnology needs government and private investor support, and the urgency of its adoption cannot be overstated as a major remedy for climate change and loss of biodiversity. It would also hasten the end of the suffering and slaughter of billions of animals, dramatically reducing diseases that can spread to humans and wildlife. For more details, go to RebootFood.org.

Philip Steir, head of Alternative Proteins at Earth Animal, writes to me that the Better Meat Company and many others are now creating meat from fermentation and mycelium. Wild Type (wildtypefoods.com) is growing real salmon meat from cells, and has already partnered with famous sushi chefs and dozens of restaurants. They are awaiting FDA approval. The Good Meat Company (goodmeat.co) is building huge cultivated meat facilities in California, Singapore and Qatar. Good Meat is currently approved to sell in Singapore, and is in talks with U.S. federal agencies. Also see Mission Barns (missionbarns.com), which is producing a mix of cultivated pork fat and plant-based proteins -- while the pig their bacon comes from is alive and well on an animal sanctuary in Sonoma! And Clara Foods, now changed and rebranded as The Every Company (theeverycompany.com), is working towards creating the world's first animal-free egg white and a slew of other performance protein products for sports nutrition, baking, and industrial uses.

Steir tells me most of the companies he knows, including Upside Foods, are not using fetal bovine serum, which is one concern some critics have raised.

For details go to: upsidefoods.com/animal-component-free-upsides-cell-feed-breakthrough-levels-up-the-future-of-cultivated-meat.

He states unequivocally, "The positive scope of cultivated meat, to me, is extensive ... and has the ability to address environmental concerns that come with conventional meat. The promising future will be that cultivated meat consumes far less energy, land, and water. It is cruelty- and slaughter-free, and environmentally so much better.

"Additionally, this cultured cell-based meat is produced in a highly controlled environment, which can protect the meat from microbes and contamination. E. coli, Salmonella, Lysteria, Campylobacter are intestinal pathogens that cause illnesses every year ... (but) there are no intestinal organs in lab-grown meat, so there cannot be contamination during slaughter. It's also meat free from the growth hormones and vaccines that are often injected into farm animals."

I agree with Steir's assertions and excellent synopsis, and see this alternative food biotechnology as a significant step to ending farm animal factories and helping reduce our carbon footprint and slow climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

PART 2 of this response will be posted in next week's column.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)