Large Scale Production of Artificial Meat

Fraser Cain writes "Scientists at the University of Maryland think that large quantities of artificial meat could be produced to supply the world with animal-free meat products, like chickenless nuggets. This is based on experiments for NASA, that created small amounts of fish protein cultured from single cells. According to the researchers, larger quantities could be grown in thin sheets and then stacked up to create thickness. Of course, they need to figure out a way to exercise it to make it taste like regular meat."

Comments

Chickenless Nuggets?!

[passthecrackpipe]

I already get those at McDonalds today - who needs these acedemics to come up with this when you can just go out and buy it in the store?

Oh boy oh boy

[Winterblink]

I can't wait to head down to the local supermarket and buy some "I Can't Believe It's Not Steak".

May I be the first to say...

[Mr.G5]

Soylent Green is pppeeeooopppllleee!

Just not the same.

[TripMaster Monkey]

If no animal had to die for the meat, what's the point? Meat just isn't the same without the murder. ^_^

"Broccoli will always taste like broccoli. But meat tastes like murder, and murder tastes pretty damned good, doesn't it?"

-Denis Leary

Re:Just not the same.

[hab136]

A little more seriously...if no animal had to die for the meat, what will this mean for voluntary (PETA-style) vegetarianism or veganism? What will it mean for religious vegetarianism?

Religious? Probably nothing - it's still actually meat, just carved from one giant contiually cloned, ever-living, non-sentient beast.

PETA? They should embrace this, since the artificial meat will be non-sentient. I'm sure they'll have a problem with it though.. protesters tend to wrap up their identity in the fact that they're a protester. If you fix the problem they care about, they'll find something else to protest about, because otherwise they have to stop protesting.

There are people that genuinely care about an issue, and aren't protesting as a lifestyle, and to those people - rock on. But many in protest organizations basically protest for a living.

Why replace meat?

[computersareevil]

Why do those who are trying so hard to eliminate animal meat try so hard to make the replacements look, feel, and taste like meat? I've never understood that.

Re:The True Test

[hab136]

I think it's more likely that people won't bite even if it does taste exactly the same as real meat. It's just not the same in most people's eyes.

Hot dogs sell pretty well, actually.

Schools and prisons

[davidwr]

If it's cheap, nutritious, and almost tasty expect to see it in public schools.

If it's cheap, nutritious, and gross, expect to see it in prisons.