Greg says he’d never eat it. I’m more open to the idea if it tasted good. If I couldn’t distinguish bacon that didn’t used to oink from bacon that did, I wouldn’t care too much, especially if it were more economical than farming. I will give PETA credit on this one, it’s research that I have no problem with, because if you can grow a filet mignon, you can probably grow a kidney or a liver too, and that will help a lot of people.
12 thoughts on “Artificial Meat”
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I actually eat vegetarian sausage patties made by Morningstar Farms. They taste remarkably like real sausage (don’t get the sausage links though… yecch!). They’re lower in calories and fat than real sausage patties, which allows me to eat more cheeseburgers per week than I normally would!
Yeah, PETA’s still not gonna be happy with me.
But can you grow chicken wings?!?
I’m all for research, especially if it is geared towards providing protein to people who would otherwise go without. Or growing meat on long-term space missions (test-tube bacon has got to be better than tube-of-borscht.) But I have a problem with PETA thinking this can be held up as a reason we can shut down cattle ranches since we have test-tube meat. The latter simply can’t replace the former. If they want to support this research, that’s fine. But I’ll bet you a case of beer that when lab-meat becomes economically viable, PETA will only use it as an anti-farm, anti-hunting political tool.
You give credit to crazy tree-hugging hippies too easily ;)
I have little doubt PETA wants this so they can shut down meat production… but that should be something the market decides.
You’re right… I just hate seeing PETA happy about anything.
I actually haven’t eaten meat in almost 40 days (it is lent, on the Orthodox calendar… less than a week left though) so I might just be cranky about meat-related topics.
The next question – would vat-grown beef be Kosher?
Interesting question Lysander. I’m guessing the answer would be “no” but I’m sure there are Rabbis who are happy not to have to deal with that particular issue right now.
It was a bit of a rhetorical question (moreso had I asked if it was Kosher – for Passover. ;) ).
I agree that the answer is most likely “no” as well. Depending on how fast the cloning technology matures and the vat beef becomes “accepted” into society as a food, it will put PETA and its fellow-travelers on a collision course with Kashrut (the dietary laws).
They’d also have to clone leather…
Alcibiades McZombie: as well as all of the other organ meat that is used in various cuisines… which begs the question, if you clone all of the useful parts of a cow, why not just have an entire cow?
I stop eating farm animal flesh/eggs/dairy almost 30 years ago after I watched debeaking of chicks on screen when we had AR meeting.
If I can get fake meat without farm animals, I have nothing against it because it is morally right thing for us to do as civilized compassionate people.
People who eat meat/dairy/eggs are indirectly responsible for life long horrible torture and death of farm animals in factly farms because over 85-90% animal products are from factory farmed animals.
Many people think farm animals in small family owned farms are less cruelly treated but nothing humane about killing animals while they are in full conscious.
When farm animals are viewed as food animals, there is no way for livestock farmers to treat their farm animals humanely.
My reason for avoiding meat/dairy/eggs is not just humane reason but also for my own health and environment.
My own reason for regularly eating meat/dairy/eggs is because they are yummy. Mmmmm…
Should I get the cheesesteak for lunch today?
Violet,
The problem with your approach is that it essentially amounts to specicide (is that a word-genocide of a species???). As the NY Times says today
Me, I love nothing more than a fat piece of juicy bacon. Had a bacon egg and cheese sandwich, think I’ll grab me a bacon cheddar cheese burger for lunch.
Mmm Mmmm Mmmm