test-tube grown burgers

[GGG]

I worry about us not knowing enough about what makes food good to eat. This reduces the bio diversity of our food supply from the species level to the cellular level so we better pick the right cow to get our cells from. We also better have the right nutrient bath to grow the meat in.

I am definately interested in the tech and would definately be fine with eating lab meat.

[Locke]

Finally! We can exterminate cattle and hogs and fix global warming by reducing methane gas emissions but still keep bacon and burgers!

[Devils'Advocate]

As a vegetarian, I don't think this is a "loophole" for us to eat meat.

The first reason I became vegetarian was because of the environmental impact. The amount of greenhouse gas created by animal agriculture is huge compared to plant agriculture just in terms of fossil fuels required to create the meat. But you add in all the methane produced by the animals and animal agriculture becomes one of the largest factors in GHG production. On top of that you have all of the biowaste coming from the animals... much of the animal sewage goes untreated. How many times a year do you hear of sewage lagoons leaking into local water supplies? The Walkerton tragedy was caused by cow manure getting into the drinking water supply. Speaking of drinking water supply, HALF of the water used in a year goes towards animal agriculture. Not just for the animals to drink, but also to produce their feed.

If we could produce meat that doesn't do the environmental damage that current agriculture does, then that removes my primary reason for not eating meat.

My secondary reason for not eating meat is because of the cruelty common to animal agriculture. Not just the killing floor, I'm talking about being kept in cramped quarters for their entire lives. Factory farming is absolute torture on these animals.

So with my ethical objections gone, I don't see it as a "loophole" to eat meat grown in a lab.

As for whether farm animals would end up going extinct.... the reason we protect animals from extinction is to protect biodiversity in the natural world. We don't want to see bees go extinct because they provide a service to the natural world (pollination). We don't want to see polar bears go extinct because they provide a service to the natural world (consume animals like seals and keep their population in check). Domesticated farm animals have been removed from the natural world and genetically modified into beasts far removed from what nature intended (I'm sure nature didn't mean for chickens to have bulky breasts such that they can't stand up as their legs cannot support them). I think it would be the HUMANE thing to have these species die out. They do not contribute to biodiversity. And the natural versions - the wild pigs, wild cattle that roam India - will all continue to exist.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Funny that this should be news this weekend.

I took my daughter to a butcher/abattoir this weekend. It is owned by a fella I know. We took the tour from the store, back to the pens, seeing every step along they way, although they were not killing, we did see the killing floor and she heard all the steps.

She really enjoyed the trip.

I am split on this, I know it can be helpful, but it just seems wrong.

I don't really see how this can be seen as wrong in comparison to what we do now. As Devil'sAdvocate points out, eating meat to the degree at which we do is incredibly taxing on the planet. Our consumption would cause problems if the population remained stable, which of course isn't happening at all.

I fall into the category of people that find eating meat to be morally wrong, but too selfish to actually give it up. Something like this is the exact solution I've been looking for.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Russic

I don't really see how this can be seen as wrong in comparison to what we do now. As Devil'sAdvocate points out, eating meat to the degree at which we do is incredibly taxing on the planet. Our consumption would cause problems if the population remained stable, which of course isn't happening at all.

I fall into the category of people that find eating meat to be morally wrong, but too selfish to actually give it up. Something like this is the exact solution I've been looking for.

Sorry, maybe "wrong" was a poor choice word(s). Perhaps odd, strange, might have been better. I don't have an issue with eating meat, but will say I try to get better quality meat, ie: how it is raised and how it is processed. I agree "factory farming" is nasty, as is some of the processing practices of large slaughterhouses.

Man has been raising and eating animals for years and years.

It seems odd/strange to me that the meat would be grown in a lab/factory.

[troutman]

Pink Slime:

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

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

As a vegetarian, I don't think this is a "loophole" for us to eat meat.

The first reason I became vegetarian was because of the environmental impact. The amount of greenhouse gas created by animal agriculture is huge compared to plant agriculture just in terms of fossil fuels required to create the meat. But you add in all the methane produced by the animals and animal agriculture becomes one of the largest factors in GHG production. On top of that you have all of the biowaste coming from the animals... much of the animal sewage goes untreated. How many times a year do you hear of sewage lagoons leaking into local water supplies? The Walkerton tragedy was caused by cow manure getting into the drinking water supply. Speaking of drinking water supply, HALF of the water used in a year goes towards animal agriculture. Not just for the animals to drink, but also to produce their feed.

No, Walkerton was caused by awful planning, a well not dug deep enough, poor chlorination practices and a jerk who lied in order to keep his job. To say that it is the result of cow manure is true in a sense but it is manipulating the facts to support your own personal views.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Sorry, maybe "wrong" was a poor choice word(s). Perhaps odd, strange, might have been better. I don't have an issue with eating meat, but will say I try to get better quality meat, ie: how it is raised and how it is processed. I agree "factory farming" is nasty, as is some of the processing practices of large slaughterhouses.

Man has been raising and eating animals for years and years.

It seems odd/strange to me that the meat would be grown in a lab/factory.

Ya, that I can agree with. It is weird. Of course let's not forget that in the early 80's artificial insemination was also seen as quite odd as well. I hope as the need arises and the situation requires it, growing our own meat will be completely acceptable.

[blankall]

Could be a long way off from a good tasting product or economical product. According to what I've read the burger comes out white, has to be dyed, and takes a lot of resources to produce. There's also no fat in these burgers.

An ultra lean burger that doesn't drip goodness when BBQed is not really a burger at all. I'd also worry about long term effects. That being said, get this to the point that it approximates the real thing, and I'd be all over it.

[CaptainCrunch]

I think that we have an obligation to eat as many things that walk on four legs as possible. Its good for us, its good for the children, its good for the world.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Man has been raising and eating animals for years and years.

It seems odd/strange to me that the meat would be grown in a lab/factory.

Well, when was the last time you ate an animal you raised yourself?

I mean most people get their meat from the supermarket, pre-packed in plastic. The experience of meat to most people is already as far removed from anything to do with animals as possible. A lot of people have an instant 'eww' reaction if they somehow run into something that reminds them that the meat was actually from an animal.

Personally this sounds very cool to me, strictly from a culinaristic viewpoint. The things we could do to this stuff. There is only so much you can feed to an animal that has a beneficial effect to the meat and would be financially viable; not to mention how heavy that experimentation process is. (And not going into the ethical side of it.)

I would imagine that once they have the technique down, there will be whole new areas of culinarism dedicated to creating completely new types of meats never even thought possible before. Top restaurants could propably have their signature meats. The possibilities are endless.

The point about eating "human" flesh is also very... interesting.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Itse

Well, when was the last time you ate an animal you raised yourself?

I mean most people get their meat from the supermarket, pre-packed in plastic. The experience of meat to most people is already as far removed from anything to do with animals as possible. A lot of people have an instant 'eww' reaction if they somehow run into something that reminds them that the meat was actually from an animal.

Personally this sounds very cool to me, strictly from a culinaristic viewpoint. The things we could do to this stuff. There is only so much you can feed to an animal that has a beneficial effect to the meat and would be financially viable; not to mention how heavy that experimentation process is. (And not going into the ethical side of it.)

I would imagine that once they have the technique down, there will be whole new areas of culinarism wholly dedicated to creating completely new types of meats never even thought possible before. Top restaurants could propably have their signature meats. The possibilities are endless.

The point about eating "human" flesh is very interesting also.

I am trying to get my meat (beef and pork) from a butcher I trust. He slaughters the animal and knows where it comes from. I have had a tour of his place and trust what he says. You can taste the difference between his beef and a large store's beef.

[Parallex]

I can't imagine it being an enjoyable burger I mean there would be no fat... low fat generally means a dry piece of meat and a dry burger doesn't sound all that appealing to me unless they can/have figured out a way to otherwise replicate the juicy aspect of beef.

But that's me, if the process that creates this "meat" can lend itself to cheap mass production it does have the potential to do wonders as a cheap form of protein for economically disadvantaged area's not only as a food source in and of itself but also as a means of freeing up their land-use for agricultural purposes.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I am trying to get my meat (beef and pork) from a butcher I trust. He slaughters the animal and knows where it comes from. I have had a tour of his place and trust what he says. You can taste the difference between his beef and a large store's beef.

I get pretty much all my meat straight from the producer, because it's actually a lot cheaper that way and because the taste is far superior.

However, that's not how most people get their meat.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Itse

I get pretty much all my meat straight from the producer, because it's actually a lot cheaper that way and because the taste is far superior.

However, that's not how most people get their meat.

Where do you get meat that is cheper by buying directly from a producer. Anywhere I have looked, buying from small farms has been significantly more expensive than buying from the grocery store. If I could get near comparable price I would buy from the small farmer for sure.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by GGG

Where do you get meat that is cheper by buying directly from a producer. Anywhere I have looked, buying from small farms has been significantly more expensive than buying from the grocery store. If I could get near comparable price I would buy from the small farmer for sure.

Short answer, Finland.

We have two non-competitive companies with a very effective monopoly in many retail areas, especially in everything food related from restaurants (okay not that much in restaurants) to supermarkets. It's a big reason why food here is generally insanely expensive.

Going around that system comes with big savings.

The difference in price depends a lot on the meat we're talking about, and it's a little complicated because from the producer all the meat comes with one price, when in a supermarket the variety in prices is huge depending on the cut.

Reindeer has the biggest price difference, it's easily less than half of what it would cost in a supermarket here in the south, assuming you could even get it. Usually you can't. (Reindeers are grown in the north, so the situation is different there.) Pork has the smallest price difference, but also the biggest difference in quality. Lamb is somewhere in between.

A big reason for me to buy from the producer is you get more variety in the cuts. Supermarkets tend to basicly have ground meat and chops, maybe ribs in the summer and hams of absolutely horrible quality around Christmas (our equivalent of christmas turkey).