Coming soon, the test-tube burger: Lab-grown meat 'needed to feed the world'

[Gord_in_Toronto]

In every day in every way the Science Fiction of my youth becomes less fictional.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-soon-Lab-grown-meat-needed-feed-world.html

The scientists are currently developing a burger which will be grown from 10,000 stem cells extracted from cattle, which are then left in the lab to multiply more than a billion times to produce muscle tissue similar to beef.

The product is called ‘in vitro’ meat.

I particularly like:

Even if the initial results do not taste quite the same as proper meat, scientists are convinced the public will soon get used to it, especially if they do not have a choice.

Paging Harry Harrison. Harry Harrison, please pick up the green phone.

PS. I know it's the Daily Snail but I get other Google hits too.

 

[Madalch]

Probably better than what goes into hot dogs.

 

[Rat]

If this is the same product I heard about on Radio 4 a few months ago, it not only doesn't taste like meat, it also doesn't smell like meat, doesn't look like meat, and doesn't have anything like the texture of meat. All of which does make me wonder how they call it meat.

 

[Rasmus]

If this is the same product I heard about on Radio 4 a few months ago, it not only doesn't taste like meat, it also doesn't smell like meat, doesn't look like meat, and doesn't have anything like the texture of meat. All of which does make me wonder how they call it meat.

it's the same cells, apparently.

fed differently (no blood, right?) , thus subjected to different chemicals, never exercised (and - hence - different chemicals again)

If they used only muscle cells, it's not even the same cells as a piece of meat - no blood vessels, fat, sinews, or anything.

I've heard that the meat will taste differently depending on the stress-level the cow was under when it was slaughtered - more or less adrenalin in the meat, e.g. So it wouldn't surprise me in the least that pure muscle cells do not end up being meat at all.

Meat might not be more than the parts it's made up from, but this seems to be lacking all but the most basic parts. (It's like trying to bake a cake using only starch, distilled water, milk powder and egg powder or something - in a microwave - and then being surprised that the result doesn't taste like a cake at all.)

 

[casebro]

I suppoise un-exercised muscle cells should taste like veal?

But these are not even muscle cells, they are stem cells. Stems cell grow into whatever is needed depending on where they land, and which nerve extends to them. So they may taste like a blend between pancreas and tendon, with a hint of tripe ?

 

[Rasmus]

I suppoise un-exercised muscle cells should taste like veal?

But these are not even muscle cells, they are stem cells. Stems cell grow into whatever is needed depending on where they land, and which nerve extends to them. So they may taste like a blend between pancreas and tendon, with a hint of tripe ?

Or, in other words, not like meat at all.

I had assumed they somehow had managed to make these cells turn into muscle cells. My bad.

 

[CORed]

Probably better than what goes into hot dogs.

To make proper hot dogs, they'll have to throw some on the floor, then sweep it up.

 

[Furcifer]

I've heard that the meat will taste differently depending on the stress-level the cow was under when it was slaughtered - more or less adrenalin in the meat, e.g. So it wouldn't surprise me in the least that pure muscle cells do not end up being meat at all.

Urban legend? I'd love to do a double blind on this. Ever since I first heard this, from a militant vegan, I've wondered if there's any truth to it. I could see possibly if the animal was chased for miles and then eaten lactic acid might be noticeable, but adrenalin after 20 days hanging in a meat locker? Call me skeptical.

 

[GungHo]

Somehow I don't see this one making Mythbusters.

 

[Number Six]

Urban legend? I'd love to do a double blind on this. Ever since I first heard this, from a militant vegan, I've wondered if there's any truth to it. I could see possibly if the animal was chased for miles and then eaten lactic acid might be noticeable, but adrenalin after 20 days hanging in a meat locker? Call me skeptical.

And another aspect of this is, even if somehow the conditions under which the animal died affected the taste of the meat, it seems like the assumption is always that it makes it taste worse or that it somehow makes the meat less healthy. That implies some sort of Cosmic Justice at work. It's as if it's "You stressed this animal before you killed it and therefore for as punishment, when you eat the meat it won't taste as good or it will be bad for you." Why? Isn't it just as likely to taste better or be healthier, assuming there is any difference at all?

As far as meat from a lab goes, if they can grow it and it tastes good and isn't bad for me then great, let me have it. But in addition to that I'd like them to be able to do it with fruits and vegetables. Some people say they can't enjoy meat because the animal dies. But how about eating strawberries that were picked by some guy doing backbreaking labor under a hot sun? That takes some of the enjoyment out of it for me. So should I pick my own strawberries instead? No, I wouldn't enjoy that either. How about growing strawberries in a lab or something. I know, it's not feasible now, but maybe someday.

 

[Furcifer]

Somehow I don't see this one making Mythbusters.

I have a pretty vivid image of Kari chasing down a cow using that chain gun from the "shooting fish in a barrel" episode.