Synthetic Meat

[blue_h3x]

Synthetic meat - meat that has been artificially 'grown' in the lab from bio-engineered cells is just 6 months from the mass market.

The production of this meat:

• uses half the energy requirement of natural meat.
• produces 5% of the greenhouse gasses of natural meat.
• uses 1% of the land required of natural meat.
• uses 3% of the water of natural meat.

By natural it is meant grown as part of an animal, although battery farming and other such methods are not natural. All comparisons compare synthetic meat in its current production techniques to beef production.

Synthetic meat produces far greater quantities for the resource input without the need for slaughter and animal welfare.

Although many would say no as "it is unnatural" nor is farming or the other techniques used to produce high volumes of meat.
Many 'natural' meat produces contain antibiotics (which are given to livestock to reduce sickness through neglect and poor habitation environments and other factors), as well as high doses of adrenaline (which is caused by the means of transporting the livestock to the slaughter house). Eating neither of these are natural.

Source: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128283.500-meat-without-slaughter-6-months-to-biosausages.html
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Note: no maybe option has been given, for the purpose of not having those sitting on a fence. You either eat something or don't, there is no maybe.

[Mincus]

Yes and I don't really see what sane reasons people could give for saying no to it.

[Cadiuro]

Unless it tastes really, REALLY bad, I'd eat it.

If it tastes like a regular steak and is better for nature, I wouldn't do anything else besides eat it.

[chimaeraUndying]

I don't eat normal meat for various reasons (most of it isn't terribly healthy due to factory farming, it's pretty bad for the environment to raise livestock just to slaughter them, and honestly I feel that eating anything that can't fight back is a bit unfair), so I support synthesized meats heartily.

+1 for the NewScientist link BTW, it's a great magazine/periodical.

[Cadiuro]

I don't eat normal meat for various reasons (most of it isn't terribly healthy due to factory farming, it's pretty bad for the environment to raise livestock just to slaughter them, and honestly I feel that eating anything that can't fight back is a bit unfair), so I support synthesized meats heartily.

+1 for the NewScientist link BTW, it's a great magazine/periodical.

Carrot's don't really fight back either, though.

[NovaTerran]

As long as it tastes similar and not disgusting, I would definitely eat it.

[blue_h3x]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm interested in how people react to the situation, call it social experiment if you like. Keep posting your thoughts!

[Mincus]

As long as it tastes similar and not disgusting, I would definitely eat it.

I guess there might be an issue with texture. I haven't seen the article itself so I'm not 100% sure, but it's possible that growing it like this would change the texture.
For me that wouldn't be an issue since I don't like the texture of meat anyway unless it's been minced/processed (yeah, I'm fussy with it ) but it could be a concern for others. As a note, I'm not saying the texture will be bad, just different and potentially indistinguishable.
Of course, they'll always be those who claim they can tell the difference anyway.

[Cadiuro]

It's like the Pepsi/Coca Cola-thing I guess.

Blind test tend to pick out Pepsi as the best coke, where in light tests it is obvious that Cola is better.

[Passerby]

blah im not much of a meat eater anyways get most of my vegetables from a few select farms because i know how the produce is grown and eat mostly fish for protean.

the thing i would be worried about is what chemicals would introduced into the product while being made and how that reacts with people, but that is also one of the same issues i get with farmed meat too is that you don't know exactly what anti-biotics are given to the animals and you don't know what and how they were feed.

[S.]

If it got some kind of "healthy tag" by some random company, I think it's okay.

Don't really know shit about meat though. My parents still buy it for me :p

Voted 'yes'.

[Passerby]

how does healthy tag from random company help, since said random company is usually owned by the company selling the product in hte first place.

[NovaTerran]

If it got some kind of "healthy tag" by some random company, I think it's okay.

You mean the FDA?

[blue_h3x]

@Mincus
The process grows it in strips of about 15cm, though the first products will be processed as such, being sausages and burgers.

@Passerby
Right now that's the major issue. Due to there being no blood, it's white in colour and such 'they' are looking into colouring it as well.

@S.Eagle
Even without a healthy tag it'll have a low carbon tag. Though it's supposed to have less fat and such healthier in that respect.

[ViRUS]

Well, if it looks like meat, smells like meat, tastes like meat and it won't kill me or give me any diseases, then I see no problem with it and will gladly eat it if it helps nature in any way.