Scientists around the world are working to develop a reliable process that will grow meat in a lab from a few cells.
So far, they have successfully grown meat tissue that, while it smells like meat, neither looks nor tastes very much
like the real thing. The process has only been done on a small scale and the results resemble jelly. Flesh colored
jelly. To get an idea of what this product currently looks like, take a look at PBS's virtual taste test, which compares the
properties of lab meat to animal meat.
Scientists hope to see this jelly develop into something that looks and tastes like the cuts of meat that can be achieved from butchering a cow - without having to kill the cow and with the added benefit of being able to grow the meat at home in an incubator. Achieving this goal would nearly eliminate the need for animals in meat production and reduce the total energy and expense required to feed, raise, slaughter and transport those animals.
Meat from a non-sentient source presents an interesting problem for vegetarians, as many become vegetarians for ethical reasons alone, objecting to the practice of raising animals for slaughter. Because the initial culture cells can be taken without harming the donor animal, no animals would be harmed in this type of meat production. In-home meat growth might also limit access to truly natural meat, which may raise concerns of those who are against artificial and otherwise modified food products.
There is a short video segment available on the PBS website about cultured meat and a poll which reveals that 45% of respondents would eat the artificially grown meat. I can't honestly count myself among them.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-04-2006 @ 7:40AM
Finished.Law.School said...
But half of the fun in eating meat is knowing that an animal was killed in order to provide sustenance!
It's also likely that certain farmers will be up in arms about this if it is developed to the point of viability...
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4-04-2006 @ 7:55AM
Connie said...
Really too eerie. As a vegetarian and concerned with sustainability, this process seems like a great idea. Think of how much easier it would be to deliver high quality protein to poor areas of the world or to keep an incubator in refugee camps.
still... i can imagine it becoming the butt of jokes... spam of the future
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4-04-2006 @ 8:00AM
Penny said...
I can care less for meat I rather have seafood instead and this seems like a good idea since the slaughtering of the animals will be cut down. And being that meat is cancerous like hello we are already born with cancerous cells why try and develope them more by eating meat??
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4-04-2006 @ 8:07AM
OxfordVegan said...
Being vegan, I can say I would definitely consider this. I woder if they could do it without the common health problems associated with animal meat. IE, substitute beef fat with an omega-3 version.
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4-04-2006 @ 9:20AM
Jonathan Harford said...
Sign me up!
Reply
4-04-2006 @ 2:54PM
extramsg said...
Yes, but can it be certified organic test tube steak?
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