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[Kinitari]

Great piece, and it really highlights to me how even people who are in the field can underestimate how fast some technologies can creep up on us.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/...eef-meat-without-murder-hunger-climate-change
Some snippets from the article:

...

It's a paradox, isn't it? When I said to my sister: "I am going to interview a scientist who's created artificial meat," she went: "Ugh". And I said: "Yeah, because slaughtering animals to eat sounds so much more appetising."

Exactly. Part of the process is that we are thinking more and more about what meat is. If something comes out of the laboratory and you analyse it under the microscope and it's exactly the same, why wouldn't we consider it just as meat?

...

I was told that you're now working on a steak…?

It's going to take longer. It's more complex. Hamburgers are made out of scrap meat and our technology right now enables us to create small slivers of meat. One of the big issues in medical tissue engineering is how to create a type of blood-vessel system so that you can transport your feed, and also oxygen to all nooks and crannies of the tissue. We have to do this in collaboration with people who know a lot about 3D printing.

...

When you were pressed last year, you thought it might be 20 years to commercialisation.

I think that's very pessimistic now to be honest. There are a couple of improvements ahead, which we have given ourselves about a year and a half to two years to do. Then we will probably come up with cultured beef burgers. But you need to have regulation in place, so I think seven years is probably a reasonable time frame. We were surprised that at the end of our previous project we discovered that we could actually make a product at that point. Talking to the food technologists and knowing what hamburgers are made from nowadays and what sausages are these days…


...


So, presumably, if there's technically no barrier to producing tiger, panda or whale meat, could you also produce human meat?

Yes. Are you sure you want to go there? Let's do this one weird step at a time. I don't see a particular reason unless our culture really makes a complete shift into … I get this question not very often, but once in a while it pops up and I usually refuse to answer it. Are you sure you want to ask this question?

Much more at the link.

 

[Thatonemoor]

I'll try some, can't be any worse for me then Arby's.

 

[Air]

I guess I'd try it. It'd certainly make me feel better about consuming somethings flesh for energy.

 

[Enduin]

Having my meat come from a formerly living animal isn't a requirement so sure if they can get lab grown stuff to taste as good and actually be more cost effective I'm all for it.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

I assume the same ethical umbrella applies to vegetarians who eat placenta.

I also know vegetarians who won't eat fake meat, because they're familiar with the mouthfeel of real meat and don't enjoy the simulated experience.

So, it depends, I guess?

 

[Himynameischris]

I'd try it and if it tastes the same I'd switch over and even if it didn't I'd replace most of my meat consumption with this.

 

[Log4Girlz]

I'm patiently awaiting human flesh. I hope it tastes identical.

 

[Dougald]

At some point in the future everyone will eat this, and the idea of eating meat from animals will become archaic and strange. Assuming they can get the taste right, of course.

And yes, I would eat it.

 

[jstripes]

So, presumably, if there's technically no barrier to producing tiger, panda or whale mea...

Sign me up for a pandaburger.

 

[blackflag]

Will it give me gainz?

If yes then hell yes

If no then NOPE

 

[Elfforkusu]

Is this hypothetical beef delicious?

 

[Menome]

I'd at least try it. If it's not brilliant, that's nothing a dollop of ketchup can't fix.

Would any vegetarians here be willing to eat it too? (Aside from those who are vegetarian because of the taste of course).

 

[Valhelm]

This is something I'm really passionate about. I'm optimistic that within two decades, "no kill meat" will be normal.

 

[Deified Data]

If it's exactly the same and it's responsibly produced, sure, I'd be done with real meat at that point. Hell, I could probably live off of quorn and seitan if I had to.

 

[collige]

I'd at least try it. If it's not brilliant, that's nothing a dollop of ketchup can't fix.

Would any vegetarians here be willing to eat it too? (Aside from those who are vegetarian because of the taste of course).

I totally would. Ethically, there's no reason not to.

 

[Rentahamster]

I'd eat whichever one tastes better and/or has a better cost value and/or better nutritional value.

 

[Enco]

If the taste and nutrition are identical then why not.

If either of those is missing, you can keep it. I'll stick to the real stuff.

To be honest I don't see my self switching in my lifetime but who knows.

 

[User Name Here]

If it tasted exactly like beef, had the same texture as beef and didn't cause cancer or some other illness, sure.

 

[Kinitari]

The person who tried it last year, the fake burger was like "Uhm, it tastes like beef. Really really lean beef".

So yeah, it tastes like you'd expect it to. They've been making progress in adding in fat and 'blood vessels' (to allow for larger slabs of meat) and are working on a steak. But they're at the same time working to improve their ground-beef meat, and hope to commercialize it in under a decade. If they can start replicating larger cuts of meat, like steaks, I think that would be even more huge - but JUST ground beef would me absolutely amazing.

 

[Deified Data]

Moral question: In a world where such a hypothetical meat substitute exists and is easily accessible throughout the world, does killing a real animal for its meat count as animal abuse?

 

[davepoobond]

I'm patiently awaiting human flesh. I hope it tastes identical.

I can't wait until they release the ambiguous Asian 18 year old flavor

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

I'd need to see some long-term studies on how our bodies react to it.

As it is, even "natural" meat coming from cows that are non-grass-fed is already causing health issues.

 

[Paches]

I want to eat a panda burger.

 

[besada]

I look forward to my vat grown pulled long pig.

 

[echoshifting]

Weirds me out a little but I'd get over it, particularly for those types of meat that end up causing a lot of pollution in the production cycle. Beef, I'm looking at you.

 

[rjinaz]

Absolutely. Might be weird at first but people will get over it with time. The thought of killing and eating dead animals disturbs me far more, though not enough for me to stop eating meat simply because I enjoy it too much. I wouldn't have to think about it this way, and I can still eat my steaks/chicken/burgers etc.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

Science!

 

[Twenty7KVN]

I'll try some, can't be any worse for me then Arby's.

Or any other fast food place.

 

[Air]

Moral question: In a world where such a hypothetical meat substitute exists and is easily accessible throughout the world, does killing a real animal for its meat count as animal abuse?

Killing an animal now counts as animal abuse, it's just necessary at the moment (or perceived as such).

 

[Almighty]

Yeah I am pretty sure I would have no problem eating lab grown meat. Assuming that there is no noticeable difference from natural meat that is.

 

[jerry1594]

They need to make giant crab steaks

 

[LostCaress]

Moral question: In a world where such a hypothetical meat substitute exists and is easily accessible throughout the world, does killing a real animal for its meat count as animal abuse?

Yes. If it's the same (taste/texture, safety, price, availability) it should actually be illegal to eat meat from animals. Don't see that becoming true however (some places still don't have easy access to water)

 

[Log4Girlz]

I can't wait until they release the ambiguous Asian 18 year old flavor

Vagina patties will be a thing for sure.

 

[Mesoian]

Sure, I'd try it. Why not?

 

[FourMyle]

As others have said, if it tastes as good and doesn't give you aids/cancer/alzheimer's/etc then hell yes. I'll gladly switch over.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Of course I'd try it. I gladly await our designer synthetic meats.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

Considering how much low-quality slop I already shove down my throat it couldn't be much worse.

 

[frankie_baby]

At some point in the future everyone will eat this, and the idea of eating meat from animals will become archaic and strange. Assuming they can get the taste right, of course.

And yes, I would eat it.

People will always eat meat from animals, lab meat will just be a budget option

 

[Walshicus]

Killing an animal now counts as animal abuse, it's just necessary at the moment (or perceived as such).

... no?

Animal abuse is a specific category of behaviour whereby a Human causes excessive and unnecessary suffering to a creature. Doesn't really matter how many you kill so long as you do it humanely.

 

[SamVimes]

This is something I'm really passionate about. I'm optimistic that within two decades, "no kill meat" will be normal.

No way in two decades. most people hear stuff like synthetic or lab grown and they become instantly wary. There's a chance it will be somewhat common i can't see it becoming normal that early.

 

[Air]

... no?

Animal abuse is a specific category of behaviour whereby a Human causes excessive and unnecessary suffering to a creature. Doesn't really matter how many you kill so long as you do it humanely.

I think the vast majority of the meat we consume in the US of A would be considered excessive and unnecessary suffering.

Edit: I also think 'Humane killing' is a silly notion as well.

 

[Kinitari]

For those that haven't read the article, I'd really recommend it! There is a lot if very interesting insight by the man behind the beef.

What about religious rulings? Have the rabbis decided if artificial meat is kosher?

They have actually. It's all preliminary, but they have thought about it and it could potentially be kosher, even if it comes from a cleft-hoofed animal.

Gosh, so you could have kosher pork?

Yes. If there are sufficient steps between the animal and the eventual product, and if they're all under the approval of a rabbi then it could be declared kosher. Supposedly.

 

[jerry1594]

I think the vast majority of the meat we consume in the US of A would be considered excessive and unnecessary suffering.

Plus factory farming is inhumane

 

[hateradio]

It seems like a lot of people would try it.

I wonder if it's a technical thing or not. If a person is against scientific progress would he/she be against this?

 

[Air]

For those that haven't read the article, I'd really recommend it! There is a lot if very interesting insight by the man behind the beef.

That's pretty cool actually. I read everything in the op, but didn't read the full article. I'll check it out after dinner.

Plus factory farming is inhumane

Absolutely.

 

[DoktorEvil]

The person who tried it last year, the fake burger was like "Uhm, it tastes like beef. Really really lean beef".

So yeah, it tastes like you'd expect it to. They've been making progress in adding in fat and 'blood vessels' (to allow for larger slabs of meat) and are working on a steak. But they're at the same time working to improve their ground-beef meat, and hope to commercialize it in under a decade. If they can start replicating larger cuts of meat, like steaks, I think that would be even more huge - but JUST ground beef would me absolutely amazing.

I'll try it if it provides similar nutrients to current meats.

So what happens to cows and pigs and chicken then?

Do we start breeding fewer animals? Does the price of real meats go up as a result?

 

[V_Arnold]

The first point is really interesting. I do not get how ignorant you have to be about food to freak about "artificial meat" and yet blindly scream in excitement whenever your next burger is delivered to you for 1.99$. Of course, it only applies to those who it applies to

 

[rjinaz]

People will always eat meat from animals, lab meat will just be a budget option

I can't agree entirely. I do see it playing out like that at first, maybe for the next few decades, but I can certainly see a time where society no longer accepts people eating real meat in the most technological societies. I'm sure in general people will still eat meat in places where this simply isn't possible though.

But I would be very surprised if you could legally buy a real meat steak say in 50 years. Might sound crazy but things change fast these days.

 

[Psychological Intellect]

Can't taste worse than Oberto beef Jerky which I think is legitimately made for dogs. jesus christ it taste's awful.

 

[brian577]

It'll probably have the same quality as a McDonald's patty so most likely not.