It’s undeniable that Australians have a penchant for meat. From barbecues to burgers, the meatier menu options tend to take pride of place around the nation’s dining tables. But meat is falling under increasing scrutiny due to ethical issues and factory farming’s ties to environmental degradation.

But what if we could have our meat and eat it, too, without any detrimental effect on the surrounding environment? That’s exactly the idea behind growing experimentation on man-made meat, which may soon be served up in Australia.

Synthetic meat is on the up-and-up, with two primary offerings at present. One is imitation meat made from plant-based ingredients. The other sees animal tissue grown from stem cells, termed ‘cultured meat’. Both options would drastically reduce the water and landmass required for traditional factory farming, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But plant-based meat is looking like a more viable option. One company creating this kind of imitation meat is Impossible Foods, a Silicon Valley start-up founded by Stanford scientist Patrick O. Brown and backed by the likes of Bill Gates.

Brown in fact knocks the alternative of stem-cell based meat, mainly as it is too pricey. “If we could grow tissues that were a meaningful replica of animal tissues at an affordable price from stem cells, it would revolutionise medicine. Look around you. It’s not happening,” he told TechCrunch. “That is one of the stupidest ideas ever expressed. First of all, it’s not true you can do a better job that way. Because then you buy into, at best, the same limitations that a cow has. And it’s economically completely unscalable.”

But Brown’s own creation, Impossible Burger, is proving its worth. The burger’s vegan patties are already available in a handful of American restaurants, with international expansion imminent. The company’s team is also looking to produce chicken, pork, fish and yoghurt next – also to be made entirely from plants.

Impossible Burger’s patties are not the chickpea patties that vegans traditionally turn to – rather they are a cleverly engineered combination of plants that focus on adhering to all five senses. The formula incorporates coconut oil, textured wheat protein and potato protein to replicate the fat that gives burgers their flavour – this means that they look, feel and somewhat taste like real meat.

In an added benefit, Impossible Burgers are also better for the waistline, with more protein, less fat and less calories than a typical pattie, as well as no cholesterol.

But as to whether Impossible Burgers can provide a real substitute for traditional beef – especially for the self-confessed carnivores among us – remains to be seen.