Most people would probably say I’ve watched way too many re-runs of Star Trek (not to mention all those sci-fi novels) but I really don’t have a serious problem with this. (I first saw this article on Facebook but I had to search for one that’s a little less “OMG! We’re all gonna die!”) Yeah, it is kind creepy but if we actually thought about where meat comes from and visualized all the steps involved in getting it from the hoof to the grocery store every time we take a bite of a hamburger a lot more people would be vegetarians. Many of those who are already vegetarians would like to see this happen but I’m sorry, I like meat. My ancestors ate meat, I eat meat, and one way or another my descendents many generations hence will eat meat. Put on your big kid pants and deal with it.
There would be actual benefits from artificially grown meat, aside from the high-tech coolness factor. Fewer cow farts = less global warming. And more land would be available for purposes other than cattle farming. Right now producing “test tube meat” is horribly expensive but there’s a possibility that it could someday be made more affordable than the real thing and more meat could be made available to more people. But I fear the professional panic inciters will prevent any of this from happening. The people crying the loudest about global warming, hunger, etc. don’t really want these problems to be solved because then they’d have to find or invent something else to protest against.
February 22nd, 2012 - 8:02 am
My concern with it comes from the fact that most stem-cell lines (the ones used in research) wind up infected with funky viruses. I don’t know if that could happen with test-tube meat, but that’s something that needs to be insured won’t happen. I’m sure it will be tested, but I’d hesitate about being one of the early adopters of this kind of food.
I suspect that at least at first, it won’t be a “solution to world hunger” but rather “a novelty for the few who can afford it” considering the cost to make it. (Honestly, there are probably simpler, more cost-effective solutions to world hunger)
I dunno. I don’t eat much meat, partly because it’s oddly hard to get good meat where I live. If I’m going to eat meat, I want it to taste good – somehow, I can’t imagine test-tube meat tasting as good as something that came from an animal that was raised on grass and grain and walked around and stuff. Kind of like the difference between the tomatoes from the store vs. tomatoes from your own garden.
I don’t have a PROBLEM with it, but I’d like to know what I’m buying – and have a choice.
February 22nd, 2012 - 8:33 am
Yeah, the article did say it would taste bland but I just hate the general panic every time scientists come up with something new and I think it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if it was available as an option.
I don’t eat a lot of meat myself. I eat more chicken than beef and often it’s just a little bit in pasta or rice, but I do like a good, big-ass hamburger once in a while.
February 22nd, 2012 - 10:33 am
The question is, if vat-grown meat were to become a reality… would PETA still throw a fit about it?
I’d be willing to try some. It would be like genetically modified grain – people would say it’s HORRIBLE and causing every disease known to mankind, but they would likely eat it without even realizing it.
February 22nd, 2012 - 2:36 pm
I suspect vat-grown meat would work better in things like meatloaf and meatballs and stuff where there’s other flavoring, and that vat-grown steaks would be like tofu-meat: not taste quite right, maybe not have the texture quite right, but possibly palatable if you are the kind of person who dumps a ton of steak sauce on steak…
I think the term “vat grown” is also more palatable than either “stem cell meat” or “test tube meat”
February 22nd, 2012 - 2:53 pm
I agree, “vat-grown” is probably a better term, though if they ever try to market it they will probably come up with something that sounds more appetizing. So far I think they’re just talking about hamburger, not steaks so there’s your meatloaf and meatballs.
February 23rd, 2012 - 7:19 am
Just as long as they don’t call it “Soylent” anything….
February 23rd, 2012 - 7:59 pm
I don’t have a problem with GM foods or engineered foods. Not at all. If the costs ever came down, they’d be an excellent solution to world hunger. If, as you noted, the professional panic mongering nosey parkers could be stifled.
My only problem with vat grown meat is the Better Off Ted episode where they taste tested lab meat. “Tastes like… despair.” said the tester.