Lab grown meat

At the Natural History Museum, tonight, I got to sit with a couple of scientists and discuss the future of food production (among other things). Lab grown meat is seen as an ethical, slaughter free and environmentally friendly way to produce meat. This has the obvious environmental and ethical benefits towards animals, along with potentially solving a food production problem as the world population grows.

Molecularly, this meat grown from cells is exactly the same as meat taken from an animal, with the same protein content, fat content etc.

Came home and watched a couple of other videos on it and read a bit more. I find it really interesting. Key to note that this isn’t a meat substitute like Quorn, it’s actual grown meat.

They told me we’ll see it on the market in 3-5 years.

What do you think?

 

Seriously?

 

What's the difference from this to that of genetically grown chicken/whatever it is the world gets up in arms about?


Not against it, it should solve a lot of issues, if done correctly.

 

Having watched it, suppose so long as we want to eat 'mince' based products (burgers, chili, bolognese, etc) then they are on the right track, cost is an issue though listening to some of those figures. Taking them in to consideration, don't see it being on the market within 3-5 years without it costing a fortune and it not being a viable option for anyone. Before they take it to market, they are going to need to get the cost down to as low as what we already spend, and also have the product presented in a fashion that is easy for the dumb public to comprehend. Selling just a bag of mush isn't going to work for the general public who wouldn't know how to bind that together to make a burger.

 

What about all the COWS and * ?
We just going to turn them into domesticated animals ?

#prayforcattle.

 

I was told last night that it’ll cost about a tenner for a burger patty, when it comes to market. It’ll definitely become more affordable as they scale it up.

It isn’t a bag of mush though, it’s meat.

 

The traditional meat industry won’t be lost in the short term. But there’s still a need for milk (even though that’ll eventually be able to be produced without cows too), but it’s definitely an important question.

 

How will it ‘poison’ society?

What do you find disgusting about it?

 

Yeah can see the costs coming down as they get better at producing it and what not. It'll be the future I am sure.
It kind of is mush just now though, in shape and texture at least. They've not yet been able to grow the muscles as we would traditionally see it. You're unable to create even a fake steak (as in shape) without binding the meat grain in to a forced shape.

 

Why is it morally wrong?

Is it any more immoral than slaughtering animals? I’d argue it’s a lot more ethical.

It’s molecularly identical to meat taken from an animal, so it’s no more ‘flawed’ than the mince you can get from a butcher now.

 

If it becomes the norm we’ll see the extinction of a lot of species like Chicken and Cows.

 

Meat growing on trees is disgusting.

 

I see. Well you get the exact same nutrients from this meat, it’s more ethical, will eventually be easier and cheaper to produce, thus solving a lot of issues. It’s far more environmentally friendly.

There’s also a lot of man made or genetically modified natural foods we eat every day, along with plenty of things that people are happy to eat and drink despite not being nutrionally beneficial.

All they’re doing here is growing the exact same cells you’d find from a cow and adding glucose to it. That’s not destroying anything.

Our genetic make up will accept any nutrients that are beneficial to us, man made or natural. Your body can’t tell the difference.

One person questioned what it would taste like, which is obviously an important consideration. With it being molecularly identical to meat taken from an animal, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test. So it’s not like Quorn. As I said, it won’t destroy the traditional meat industry any time soon, but it’ll become a huge part of the market.

 

It isn’t meat grown on trees.

Yet to hear what’s disgusting about it.

 

That’s a very close minded attitude to take. I find that level of stubbornness baffling.
“Organic” is just a marketing fad, too.