Scientists are on the verge of growing artificial meat in laboratories

[chillspike]

Peta-ians rejoice!


MAASTRICHT, The Netherlands -- Scientists are on the verge of growing artificial meat in laboratories without the need for animal slaughter, according to a report cited Thursday by The Herald Sun -- with one expert predicting a stem cell sausage might be just six months away.
Researchers say the advent of "pain-free" meat produced from stem cells could save millions of animals from the abattoir and help the environment through substantially reduced energy, land and water use.

Dutch researcher Dr. Mark Post, of Maastricht University, predicts the first synthetic sausage could be just six months away.

"I'm hopeful we can have a hamburger in a year," he told New Scientist.

http://www.blacklistednews.com/Slaughter-Free_Stem_Cell_Meat_Sausage_Coming_Soon/15515/0/38/38/Y/M.html

[ixion]

1. mmmm...

:puke:

[azul]

41. Status quo is satisfactory good eating?

mmmm...., what would you suggest as a more viable alternative to the toxic and unsustainable factory animal farm offerings?

[ixion]

44. regionally-grown organic food

of course, that might actually require that people change their diet.

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. Meh...

School cafeterias have been doing it for years.

[newfie11]

17. FUNNY!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[RKP5637]

22. Yep, "Mystery Meat," that's what we called it decades ago! n/t

[Major Hogwash]

3. The GOP has had artifical politicians running for office in our country for decades.

We're way ahead of the "fake meat" industry in the rest of the world.

[Jello Biafra]

23. So now we know the source of the "mystery meat"!....LOL n/t

[Edweird]

4. More life (in this case science) imitating art: This was an episode of 'Better Off Ted'.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. I think it's a great idea. But no matter what they do or don't do, someone will complain.

I've had those quorn burgers that are fungus grown in a vat. They're not bad.

Cells are cells, and is it really preferable to eat a burger made from the bits of 40 different sick cows that were kept in shitty conditions, pumped full of hormones & antibiotics, and processed along with god-knows-how-much E Coli laden fecal material, than it is to eat meat grown in a lab?

:shrug:

[MADem]

10. Absolutely. If they're cloning kobe beef or organic grass fed stuff, why not?

They can grow cells to replace your knee cartilage, your skin, god knows what else...this has potential, I think. It wouldn't bother me at all, particularly if the quality was good.

Also, if they can grow it in such a way that it makes it cheaper to package, that saves resources as well.

I am all for progress on this score.

[joshcryer]

28. I think they're lagging behind cloned organs, though, but I could be wrong on that count.

Either way, cloned organs or meat on a plate, you're looking at a really fascinating prospect for the future. Imagine being able to buy extremely lean meat for pennies on the dollar contrasted to the costs that you'd have to pay now.

Also, I think packaging-wise it's far more able to reduce costs, since you're not going to be slaughtering something and having to go through that process. It could be as simple, maybe, as bathing the meat in a saline solution, packing it up, and shipping it off (either frozen for the meat markets or cooled and fresh for various restaurants).

[eShirl]

6. "I got your artificial meat right here" just doesn't sound right.

[fasttense]

7. These artificial, synthetic foods always have an unintended consequence.

I can't help but wonder what this fake meat will do to a human digestive system. Will it be packed full of preservatives and flavor enhancers so by the time you get it it's like flavored paper? Will it cause your digestive system to bind up, shut down or gas up? What will the allergic reactions be like?

Like franken seeds, I think I will remain skeptical about its value to the planet.

[joshcryer]

25. I'd have to agree on one level, if they're substituting non-biologics...

...to make it work, that is, in the suppliment / growing mechanism, then I would be cautious. However, if it's using known biological mechanisms (ie, they're only feeding it known nutrients and it's merely being cultured), I think it can be an amazing alternative (if not completely abolishing animal farming altogether).

[Scottybeamer70]

8. Heh...........

I think I'll just remain a vegetarian.

[chillspike]

9. Nothing wrong with that!

I actually agree with you!!!

[joshcryer]

30. Wouldn't it be more like agriculture then, though? I mean, philosphically speaking.

You're not causing any animal pain and you're not forcing an animal to endure crappy conditions...

[Bosonic]

11. Good news

Better use of resources, better control of meat quality/taste/texture.

Want a future controversy? Lab grown Human meat for sale...

[chillspike]

12. LOL

Who is going to eat that? Yuck.

[Bosonic]

19. I'm sure there'd be takers.

The jaded, the curious, those wanting to shock/rebel, perhaps health enthusiasts who extol the vitrues of it. You could even donate cells and have a you-burger.

But I was thinking more about the societal/moral/philosophical controversy, would it be made illegal?

[thereismore]

53. A you-burger would be very hypoallergenic. For you. nt

[originalpckelly]

26. Yogurt on a plate.

That's all yogurt is, get the fuck over it already/

[chillspike]

33. Yogurt is processed humans?

wtf?

[joshcryer]

13. I have no doubt there'd be a market for that in elite circles.

Possibly even cloned meat of the ... entertainers.

[Fearless]

14. Yay uber GM food.

[baldguy]

15. And if it ever comes to market, they'll want to label it as "natural".

[joshcryer]

27. I'd have no problem with them labeling it "organic lab meat," if it was.

ie, if the meat culture is being fed known nutrients and not some sort of synthetic byproduct which makes the process magically work. The problem is making stem cells grow a culture and keeping it alive and making it robust rather than a slimy culture that has no texture. If that process does not intrude into the growth of the culture (you're growing a liver, for example, and it'd be fully implantable in a living being), you're looking at an arguably 'organic' process.

Imagine eating a pure pink liver that hasn't absorbed natural toxins for months (as is its biologic process). Talk about health food! Pure protein without the toxic side effects!

[lunatica]

16. Artificial? Maybe it's soylent green

:scared:

[ibegurpard]

18. beat me to it

[bullimiami]

21. ChickieNobs.

[PassingFair]

50. Chicken Little

http://www.ralphmag.org/spacemerchants2.html



One of my top ten SYFI books

[Hun Joro]

51. Just what I was reminded of.

[DCBob]

20. This could be a very good thing.

This could help solve a multitude of problems if its safe and efficient.

[joshcryer]

24. I'd have to agree with another poster about "synthetics" but let me clarify...

...if the process requires certain things that biology doesn't typically need then it underscores a lack of understanding and it may not even qualify as meat. However if they're cloning meat cultures without in fact having to substitute anything that we don't expect biology to require, then it'd be one of the greatest inventions this century, if not the single greatest. Combine it with hydroponic industrial agriculture and you solve a great deal of the worlds problems (not just being able to feed a lot of people, but also avoiding the disaster that is industrial farming).

[DCBob]

38. An "industry" would still be needed albeit factory based rather than farm.

Sounds like biggest challenge will be making it taste good and have texture like real meat. I guess that why they are focusing on hamburger which masks those problems somewhat.

[stuntcat]

47. especially environmentally

Over 7 pounds of food are farmed, shipped and fed to animals for each pound of meat.
The water wasted by the industry is nothing but a shame, especially as water gets more precious all the time.
Most of the animals' waste is not dealt with at all just dumped.
Soooo much land and water wasted.

It's beyond disgusting what industrialized meat does to our future. If they could make it in a lab it would make an enormous difference for the planet.
Of course there are people who feel that if a perfectly nice animal hasn't died a horrific death for their meal it's just not the same.. I know these people, and I see them on DU every day.. one of the reasons I have no hope at all for humans.

[joshcryer]

29. This reminds me of Sea Quest DSV where "real meat" (from a living animal) was banned.

Ahh, I need to watch that show again. So good. :)

[greytdemocrat]

31. Always fiigured this was coming...

It just sounds very creepy.

[RebelOne]

34. It has been coming for quite a while now.

There have been articles about it in my vegetarian magazines for a few years now. I have had the desire for a nice juicy sirloin steak, but could not abide eating an animal that died for my sake.

[MineralMan]

32. Chicken Little?

Obscure allusion to an old Sci-fi novel.

[no_hypocrisy]

35. Great. GM meat to go with my GM corn and GM soybeans.

I may have to buy a farm and feed myself.

[DCBob]

36. no GM involved in this process..

"In vitro meat does not necessarily involve genetic engineering, a common misconception. In fact, the cells involved are natural cells which would grow in the normal method."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_meat

[chrisa]

37. Great news

[coalition_unwilling]

39. "Stem Cell Sausage" -- Now there's a brand name for you, complete

with alliteration and consonance. Can't wait to see the Madison Avenue Superbowl ads for it :)

Sounds like the name of an alternative rock band to me

[azul]

40. Karmic holiday meat, yea!

It's a no brainer.

[eppur_se_muova]

42. Oh, if only there were some way to do this with nutritious vegetable foods instead !!

Then people might actually be able to live in perfectly good health *without* meat !!!!1!

[Warren DeMontague]

45. I know. If only everone would live according to MY whims and dictates, instead of their own

the world would be fucking GREAT.

[cherokeeprogressive]

43. They could call it Dildo Meat. I even have a slogan for them...

"It looks and feels like the real thing, but it ain't."

[Buns_of_Fire]

46. "In America, you eat meat. In Russia, meat eats you."

(I know it's the Netherlands, but there's got to be several jokes in there somewhere...)

[undeterred]

48. Maybe we can grow some artificial jobs.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

49. I'll pass on artificial meat. Franken Food is a no starter for me.

If you don't like Genetically Modified Foods, you should pass this up too.

[liberalmuse.com]

52. I can see it tasting terrible.

But what the hell. Let's do it!

The meat industry could use some improvement.