[magprob]

:eek: The Delicious Charbroiled Smell of Laboratory Meat
By Jonathan Kolber
October 23, 2007


I’ll admit it. I have a weakness for the delicious smell of charcoal-broiled meat. Even during a two-year stint as a vegetarian, that desire never went away.

Those who refrain from eating meat for ethical or health reasons will soon have an interesting alternative.

AlterNet reports, with considerable fanfare and some hyperbole, that Dutch scientists are successfully growing "cultured meat" in laboratories. The current price is several thousand dollars per pound — out of reach of all but the most wealthy of epicures.

Their aim is to bring it down to several dollars per pound, where it will be cost competitive with meat that's grown the old-fashioned way. Estimates are that this could happen within five years.

While the article uses words such as "horrifying" to describe this possibility, it also does a reasonably accurate job of describing the science and implications.

Essentially, certain stem cells that can become muscle cells are placed on "scaffolding." As they grow on this scaffolding, they assume a certain shape. They are immersed in a fluid that gives them the same nutrients blood would provide if the cells were living inside a body.

An electrical current or mechanical stretching is used to simulate exercise. Voilà! You have ready-to-eat meat.

NASA funded tests in pursuit of a better source of protein for astronauts. It engaged Touro College biologists Morris Benjaminson and James Gilchriest to grow goldfish. (Why this was selected as opposed to say, salmon, was never explained.)

[templelane]

Sounds like a good idea to me! If I was doing that I'd probably stick in a couple of extra plasmids encoding vitamins and other nutrients required in the human diet. Imagine that, a burger with 100% RDA of vit C! I have no idea the feasibility of this idea but I bet you could get some extra goodies in.

[labman]

Soy burgers have been available for years.

[startover22]

That is not OK! What ever happened to the dang cow?

[Emland]

I just lost my appetite.

[magprob]

I'll just eat the agar. Heck, when you plop it out of the petri dish, it's kind of shaped like a burger patti.

[templelane]

Soy burger ain't quiet the same taste wize as real protein. As soon as this product is available in chicken form and cheaply I'm there. Ethically I hate most modern farming practices but I just can't seem to give up meat... Yes I know I'm weak.

[startover22]

Whatever suits you Mag...
But I like vegitarian meals more than anything... BUT if I want a good steak or something... COW will be my choice...

[jillianleab]

I don't think it will catch on; people are all worried about "genetically modified foods" as it is and insist organic is the way to go and is much healthier. Meat grown in a lab? No way, people will start on about "chemicals" and "additives" and whatnot and say it causes cancer. Me? I'd give it a taste. OOOH! If we grow steaks instead of cows, we can get rid of all the cow farts contributing to global warming!! I think I just solved the crisis! :)

[Lowtax4eva]

That is so freaking cool, so in theory they could build the perfect steak, you could actually decide the size and thickness of your perfect steak

OR get a fillet mignon (which are generally quite small) made into a steak the size of your plate.

Oh yes my friends we are on the cusp of something here! You'll see, you'll all see. Until then ill continue eating 3 animals for every 1 that a vegetarian refuses to eat.

[startover22]

That is so freaking cool, so in theory they could build the perfect steak, you could actually decide the size and thickness of your perfect steak

OR get a fillet mignon (which are generally quite small) made into a steak the size of your plate.

Oh yes my friends we are on the cusp of something here! You'll see, you'll all see. Until then ill continue eating 3 animals for every 1 that a vegetarian refuses to eat.

LMAO! If you can afford it... go ahead...

[magprob]

Vegetarians are pretty tasty too.

[Lowtax4eva]

Ugh, yes I suppose they might be, I was arguing with someone in the PETA chatrooms earlier about things.

Apparently some 26 million animals are killed "accidentally" by harvesting equipment each year and someone at PETA was telling me that it's accidental so it's less offensive than people eating meat by choice... whatever.

[michealb]

I don't see why peta wants to make another animal go extinct. If we don't raise cows for meat and leather, they would die you don't see any wild cows. So I will continue to eat meat and wear leather for the sake of the cows.

Actually as long as it has the taste and texture of regular meat, I'd eat it.

[CaptainRich]

Soylent Green
YouTube - Soylent Green

[magprob]

Very Good Cap'n! Now I'll tell you the secret of Soylent Green. Are you ready? OK. After the secret ingrediant of Soylent green was discovered, they changed the name. Here is the newest incarnation of Soylent Green:
1956 Armour Treet Canned Meat Vintage Print Ad

[CaptainRich]

Very Good Cap'n! Now I'll tell you the secret of Soylent Green. Are you ready? OK. After the secret ingrediant of Soylent green was discovered, they changed the name. Here is the newest incarnation of Soylent Green:
1956 Armour Treet Canned Meat Vintage Print Ad

I KNEW you'd do that!! Hehehe The sick, twisted, demented creature we have come to love!!
Yes, you can change the name on the lable, but the contents remain the same. Hehehe
I did notice a slight increase in retail pricing... must be due to global warming reflecting the increasing costs of shelf space. Hmm... too bad!

[magprob]

I KNEW you'd do that!!! hehehe The sick, twisted, demented creature we have come to love!!!
Yes, you can change the name on the lable, but the contents remain the same. hehehe
I did notice a slight increase in retail pricing.... must be due to global warming reflecting the increasing costs of shelf space. Hmm... too bad!!

Yes, it is in effect just a sign of the times.

[startover22]

Lab Meat Lickers!!

[CaptainRich]

START! You shouldn't lick lab meat!