Test Tube Meat Anyone?

"Test tube meat" is a much better option than murdered meat.

Test tube meat just sounds like it would taste terrible, though, and I doubt many people would try it if they knew how it was made, no matter how cheap it is. I know I wouldn't

Weird as this sounds I kind of like the idea. I have lost my taste for all meat except occasional chicken and fish and that is starting to bother me too. As soon as I think of the poor hapless chicken or fish I loose my appetite. Mostly I use whey protein supplements with fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. The test tube meat could not be any worse than turkey bacon.

Randy Smith, MD

I really like this idea, particularly if it means better quality control. If they can sell it to me with as a meat that's very flavoursome, perfectly tender always, I'd buy it.
Although, this technology turned up in the science mags a few months ago, the suggestion was that the sheets or particles of meat weren't really steaks, but could be used for mince or ground meat. Again, it would depend of a guarantee of flavour.

If they could up the haem iron content too, that would also make me more likely to buy it.

As for the 'eww' factor, I actually prefer the idea of my proteins and fats etc grown inside a nice clean laborotory than inside an animal, which carries loads of bacteria and viruses on with.

"Test tube meat? That's enough to make anyone think seriously about becoming vegetarian."

Actually its the resaon why some vegitarians could stop being vegetarians. No animal was killed. Now they can eat meat and not feel guilty. Should make animal rights activists very happy.

As pointed out in the article, there should be big savings in materials and energy spent to grow live animals. Plus meat that has the perfect combination of fats and proteins will make them far more consistent and healthier for us. As a bonus, no avian flu or mad cow to worry about. As long as they can replicate the taste and texture of real meat, I don't see how this can't go forward.

But in the mean time, I can see lab meat making its way into hotdogs and baloney. People argue those aren't really meat either, yet, we heat tons of it each year. Of course, if lab meats replaces animal "leftovers" that go into hotdogs, what will the real stuff end up as? Just waste?

I think when and if this ever comes out, I'll wait a couple of years before I try it. (Like I do with Window Operating Systems.)
That way, I'll let the adventuresome folks work all the bugs out of it.

PT and others - you are right.

Test tube meat is probably a better idea than killing animals. From my own perspective I go through seasons of not desiring red meat. Whether it's from an animal or if it came from the test tube - the "eww" factor can still be there.

Meat is pretty expensive now so this might not be a bad idea to have prices go down but I don't think it would taste as good. They always say to stay away from process food but is might be an excellent thing for the future.

Well, I think that the future of food won't be plant-based or animal based anymore.

My point of view is that all the foods won't be fruits, vegtables, or meats anymore. We are going to eat high-tech function bars, noodles, burgers, pizzas, and tasteful stuff, with balanced nutrition, flavored the way we like.

Sounds odd, but that's the future. Bioreactive grown foods that I can eat, from meat bars, to chocolate cereals that function, without the need of animals or plants. But others view it as the fruits, veggies, grains, meats, dairys, and stuff like that will stay with us. Dogs and cats and pets will stay with us, and there will be horse-back riding.

But then, thousands of years down the line, we may not be eating anything. We are all going to be turned to people with inner ecosystems, which manufactures and recycles fats (saturates, monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, etx., carbohydrates (both sugar and fiver), and proteins (every single amino acids) and makes all vitamins and minerals through light and stores them. Perhaps we may turn into animals that eat nothing, and last for thousands and thousands of years.

However, as we learn through chemistry and such, we are allready on the verge on growing new organs and spare parts so that we can have an extra set of lungs around.

But am I going to gorge on burgers, fries, ice cream and pounding them dow? Absolutely not. I am going to eat veggie sandwiches, fruits and vegtables, lots of fish, yogurt and granolas, and a variety of meats, and balancing my fat intake...Moderate amounts of saturated and polyunsaturated fats while intaking monounsaturated fats in abundance and keeping my omega 3 and 6 levels as equal as possible. Ice cream? Once in a while. Fried foods? Steering clear of them even when on vacation and special occasions.

...kinda reminds me of an 'urban legend' about how a certain chain of chicken restraunts produces its product.. by growing a genetically modified 'animal' without a head or feet in a tank, and harvesting when it has reached a desirable maturity. Who knows... with all the lies and media spinning, some of the conspiricy theorists may just be closer to any "truth" than we are.. for all we know, this may be old news! And how would we know anyway if these bioengeneers had struck up a quiet deal with Tyson foods a long time ago, and THAT'S why chicken nuggets don't taste like chicken anymore?... Whatever. I just find it ironically eerie that nobody on this blog even seems remotely suprised or digusted by this story. If they're building this "meat", further thought would lead one to question the origins of its structure...i.e. what animals WERE harmed in the testing and developement of this product; and if it's genetically identical to meat, then it would lead me to believe there were a few casualties. (Oh, and an afterthought would be "EYEWWW!!!!") ....and not that I'm feeling self righteous, but has anyone considered the untapped moral issue or unmentioned potential for strange genetic side-effects further on down the road? If you're a vegetarian for a moral reason, then I think this might be a point worth not missing.
I like meat, just the way it is. But maybe this is the governments way of telling consumers that the mad-cow thing and the aviary flu situations are worse than previously thought.

I agree with the other readers - test tube meat might be a better alternative to "dead" animal meat. I'm especially interested in eliminated the meat contamination incidents that commonly occur in slaughterhouses only to end up causing food poisoning. Salmonella and E. Coli contamination in meats might be a thing of the past if our meat is "grown" in test tubes. Also the environment would definitely benefit from this technology - after all animal meat consumption is partly responsible for much of the destruction of vegetation-filled lands that are razed to make room for soil and water contaminating cattle farms.

I just heard some news lately that they are also working on test tube milk. They say it's the same idea of creating laboratory meat, except they grow a mammary gland with a mold. It's shape like a ball with nipples. Than, fat, nutrients, and minerals are added to the mammary gland. The mammary gland produces milk, which can be drunken, or be made into butter, ice cream, yogurt, frozen yogurt, or cheese.

What arrogates man to think that he can produce something better than GOD. Or maybe he doesn't think it, because it's not about outdoing GOD, but instead about money. We will have a world stricken with INCURABLE DISEASES and CANCER if this test tube meat and enhanced meat are continued to be allowed. The enhanced meat already is not worth eating because it is without taste. You can't tell what you're eating these days because everything is without flavor. Obesity is at epidemic proportions because of this mess we're eating, and lack of exercise. As I have always thought, MAN will destroy MAN. We are not using the brains that GOD gave us. We do not possess the common sense it takes to stop ourselves. People, listen up! This is very serious! Our bodies are not machines. It can not digest, process and use this mess that these millionaires and billionaires are trying to shove down our throats. This mess will destroy our bodies. We are headed toward a life of unidentified unnamed diseases. There won't be anyone to do the research and care for these sick people, because everyone will be sick. Thus we will die out. GOD made animals for man. I would much rather eat animal meat in it's original form, than to eat this man-made garbage.

Reddmond: Actually, I think the whole point of this is to duplicate what God created and do it more efficiently. What comes out of this process should have exactly the taste and structure of real meat. However, it would be much less wasteful than the usual process. My only concern is the feed you would give to this culture. It might affect the omega-fat ratio and the vitamin/mineral content.