"Test tube" meat

[Grub]

Okay, now it's getting weird... The article doesn't mention the source, but just quotes "Researchers in the U.S." saying they uh, have the technology to create burgers and sausages from cells taken from cows, chicken, pigs, fish or other animals.

I'd be rather dubious about eating this stuff (as I figure most people would be), but taking some pride and/or having a chip on my shoulder about being a logical, rational kinda dude, I'd hate to be a culinary luddite. So I guess I'd eat it...

What about vegitarians and vegans, though? There was a thread about vegans and honey recently, that focused on the ethical reasons for veganism. I'm not sure what the predominant justification for vegan or vegitarian diets are -- health reasons, ethics, or just pure preference... But for those who have ethical qualms about eating meat, wouldn't such test-tube be a solution?

[BCinBC]

I saw an article on this on the news the other day. That's one way they were pitching it, too: vegetarians would now be able to eat sausages etc. WTF? It still comes from an animal, at least the original cell does.

Also, perhaps it's just me but my impression is that an "ethical" vegetarian would not only be opposed to eating something with a face, but probably something grown in a lab as well.

But you never know, those vegetarians are unpredictable weirdos. Whoops.

(To ward off future rants, I should state the obvious - that I was kidding.)

[Milagai]

here is a link for a poll among veg*ans on the topic:

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=34282

predictably, opinions run across the board,

and not everyone thinks the same on this.

this may be hard for "meaters" to grasp

(i too am "just kidding")

milagai

[Gifted Gourmet]

a more detailed article on this: Belfast Telegraph

According to US and British researchers, the technology already exists for processed meats like hamburgers and sausages, using cells taken from cow, chicken, pig, fish and other animals. The wide acceptance of meat substitutes such as "quorn", a cultured fungus, "shows that the time for cultured tissue is near"

Techniques for engineering muscle cells and other tissues were first developed for medical use. But some researchers are looking into growing edible muscle cells, according to Jason Matheny, a University of Maryland doctoral student and co-author of a paper on in-vitro meat techniques.

[Carrot Top]

More for those hungry for these sorts of things:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3208

[balex]

Here is an article about research into growing tissue not as part of an animal in order to produce synthetic meat.

Any volunteers?

[Carrot Top]

This subject seems to be emerging more into the mainstream media with this recent article in The Economist. The viewpoint of this article focuses on presumed better health/hygeine controls. Interesting, and it will be curious to see what sorts of growth in this industry will be happening in the near future.

Cultured meat could be grown in sterile conditions, avoiding Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and other nasties.

[srhcb]

This subject seems to be emerging more into the mainstream media with this recent article in The Economist. The viewpoint of this article focuses on presumed better health/hygeine controls. Interesting, and it will be curious to see what sorts of growth in this industry will be happening in the near future.

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This could be good news? Maybe they could start by making foie gras, and thus please both gourmands and politicians.

"IF YOU have ever longed for a meat substitute that smelt and tasted like the real thing, but did not involve killing an animal, then your order could be ready soon. Researchers believe it will soon be possible to grow cultured meat in quantities large enough to offer the meat industry an alternative source of supply." … The Economist, A Meaty Question, Sep 21st 2006

SMELT!

Smelt are the little silvery fish we catch by the garbage bag full in early spring along the shores of Lake Superior!

SB (obviously, The Economist is not "mainstream media" around here)

[johnsmith45678]

I don't think I'd have any qualms about eating test tube meat. I also wouldn't have a difficult time imagining most if not all meat grown this way in the future -- freeing up a lot of land, resources, and ethical dilemmas about slaughtering animals just for food.

[Carrot Top]

SMELT!

Smelt are the little silvery fish we catch by the garbage bag full in early spring along the shores of Lake Superior!

SB (obviously, The Economist is not "mainstream media" around here)

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Yanno, you may be onto something there, Steve. Smelt would be very easy to grow from a test tube as they are very small, and remembering from my childhood, the only flavor I can remember is from the seasonings or breadcrumbs.

Then, instead of being served on newspaper (as small fish are wont to be) on a picnic table, pages torn from that old Economist with its spelling errors could be used to soak up the extra cooking oil and bits of fried batter instead. Adds a touch of class, don't cha know.

Gotta keep those biotech guys busy somehow. Better this than many other things, methinks. Heh.

[Blue_Egg_Farmer]

Maybe they could start simple with lunch meat.... make it be dispensable like toilet tissue. As it would be coming germ free maybe it could be set up on a dispenser roll over the counter where the bread and paper plates are to make sandwiches and ripped off as needed.

Truthfully I do not think I want to touch the stuff, I have a terrible feeling that it would cause a new type of mad cow disease or it gets into your body and starts growing into your cells or something like from the Alien movie or the Blob.

I'm sticking with the real meat and foie gras I grow right here .

[Carrot Top]

Maybe they could start simple with lunch meat.... make it be dispensable like toilet tissue. 

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Brilliant!

Easy-grab for gluttons.