Test-Tube Meat's Secret Ingredient: Unborn Cow Blood

Why are you so gleefully deriding an attempt to feed more people and reduce environmental impact OP? I don't think anyone has claimed this is a perfect solution, like anything else it will need more time and research. No one has claimed that they were going to attempt to grow meat out of thin air, the real benefit would be not having a need for huge cattle farms that pollute like crazy and require more and more space.

Originally posted by Domo1
reduce environmental impact OP?

I see you did not read the OP, or the subsequent posts.
Do you know what the environmental impact of a sealed labratory is?

, the real benefit would be not having a need for huge cattle farms

The stem cells were fed with bovine serum,
which is unborn cow blood, which came from a cow that ate grass and corn
before it was slaughtered.

reply to post by burntheships


They were fed with bovine serum, but I don't believe anyone has claimed this has been perfected. It's being researched. Research doesn't = end result. I highly doubt the plan is to feed this meat with dead cow serum. Even if that were the case, less cows = less environmental impact. So using some delicious cow serum to crete more meat without taking up space that could be used for other things and the cow farts would be a great thing in itself. The fact that they can grow this at all is amazing and will probably have some very interesting applications in other areas.

I'll ask again, why do you want to deride people that are attempting to make a difference and help humanity? That's the real facepalm.

Originally posted by Domo1
dead cow serum.

Please educate yourself. Its not dead cow serum....it is fetal bovine serum.
$250 per liter Also, you have no idea, or did not respond on the environmental
impact of sealed labrotories to create this shmeat.

When you can afford to buy one, and test it out then a serious talk would
be in order, until then it is just pie in the sky, well that is for helping humanity.

No derision intended, it is just common sense.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

I see this all the time. Particularly from you. And I typically tell you, "But each individual handled nutrition differently, and there can never be a 'silver bullet' answer to such questions"

yes, we often meat on this issue.

i have yet to see a case where someone couldn't live on plants alone, and i have given you plenty of studies on the benefits of only eating plants. you haven't answered them. i understand you have time constraints, and none of this is meant as an insult, or to be degrading, simply as a statement of the current situation of our disagreement on this issue.

the end to world hunger lies with plants, and you cannot deny that the world could be fed in abundance on a plant-based diet, and that such a situation isn't feasible if meat is included, due to protein conversion rates.

reply to post by burntheships


Is it from dead cow? Is it serum? It's dead cow serum. My point stands, I don't think the endgame here is to be using something that expensive.

I don't care what laboratory costs are, and I'm sure the environmental impact would be countered thousands of times over if we could eliminate the need for millions of acres of cattle land.

Why do you hate progress? Are you mad that someone interrupted this little self congratulatory circle jerk and dared you to think? El oh el dey feed the meat with dead cow serum! Laughing that it doesn't taste quite like regular meat and appointing yourself scientist. Well guess what, the cows are coming home to roost. In twenty years when you're sucking down that soylent moo you'll remember this and realize wrong you were.

Originally posted by Domo1
In twenty years when you're sucking down that soylent moo you'll remember this and realize wrong you were.

Yeah I skipped to the end...Soylent? Dang I thought we were talking cows.

Well guess what, the cows are coming home to roost

Cows can fly now can they?

reply to post by burntheships


I agree, this isn't really even a new concept, it must have just been a slow news day...
The 'new' technology is a proof of concept, but its gross and uneconomical. However, I think there are many benefits to artificial meat. It would, as the article says, open the possibilities to feed the masses, and also reduce animal suffering.

These are the issues that need to be addressed before this technology can become viable:
1)
Serum free media- foetal bovine serum isn't theoretically necessary. Recently, fully characterised serum free growth media has been developed. I'm not sure if bovine serum has been characterised yet, but if not, it shouldn't be far off. Most consumer biotech products require a characterised media in order to approved by government agencies, so this is both a practical and economical consideration- no serum free media, no sales.

2)
Angiogenesis- one of the main reasons that artificial meat apparently tastes bad is the limited angiogenesis- that is, the lack of new blood vessel formation. What the researchers have produced is essentially a lump of muscle cells, whereas real muscle tissue is a collection of muscle, fat, blood vessels, and various other support cells. Until they can recreate this, the flavour is going to be off.

3)
Mass production- The thing about most mammalian cells is that they need to be attached to a surface in order to survive. Take this in constant to bacteria cells, that can survive, and even thrive, in suspension. Until non-carcinogenic mammalian cell lines can be engineered to survive in suspension, mass production of cells is unrealistic- you cant just grow them in a vat.

If anyone has any further questions about tissue engineering I'd be happy to try and answer them, It's not my area of expertise but I have worked in the field before.

reply to post by s4196606


Excellent points! We are on the cusp of some remarkable stuff though, these days. We are assembling materials at the molecular level, using the same forces that nature does. It's certainly not beyond the pale that we can harness the same forces that govern cellular reproduction, in the near future. We don't have to invent, so much as figure out how to reliably reproduce what already occurs naturally.

I think what many people are reacting to, is the evils that the Agribiz folks are perpetuating on us, through the misuse of this science. The tools themselves are not good or bad. It's the people who use them and for what agendas that determine that. I believe we are at the beginning of a new age of peace and prosperity though. The old ways won't die out immediately. But, when everyone can find out almost everything, and the information can no longer be controlled by elites, that kind of evil will no longer be sustainable.

This is just an abomination, belongs in horror films, as soon as I see the report on BBC news it actually made my stomach turn..

What’s wrong with a good old fashion burger cut from the cow, I don’t want to read about these new things but what’s the point in them??

Call me old fashioned but...I like the actual dead cow meat, dead chicken meat or dead pig meat...Anything grown out of a lab makes me want to avoid it as much as I can. As for going vegetarian or even as far a vegan, that's NEVER going to happen for me. not that there is anything wrong with it, if it's for you then by all means but it's just not for me, I love my meats and I love them as fresh as I can get them too.

I seriously doubt that the product would take off in the mainstream restaurants and/or households. More than likely it might find other uses in the medical industry down the road.

reply to post by Bob Sholtz


I have read some of the studies you have presented. I have not responded, that is correct. More focus, less time constraints being the reason.

Having said that.....i am a believer that the real answer is population, not diet.

All that aside, I appreciate the conversations.

Originally posted by Nuke2013
Call me old fashioned but...I like the actual dead cow meat, dead chicken meat or dead pig meat... I love my meats and I love them as fresh as I can get them too.

Ah, this thread is causing severe salivation.
Planning a weekend barbeque dedicated to this very thing!

Anything grown out of a lab makes me want to avoid it as much as I can.

Agreed, especially things that can othewise be found fresh in nature.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

All that aside, I appreciate the conversations.

as do i.

a little off topic, but did anyone else initially read the title of this thread as "Test-Tube Meat's Secret Ingredient: Unicorn Blood"

haha, probably just me.

reply to post by Bob Sholtz


No, but that would make this the greatest thread ever if it were true.

Oh noes! They're killing all those precious unborn cow babies!

How many calves were aborted in Godless operations in order to make that burger?

We need to be told.

Unborn calves are still living cattle. They have a right to life. It's in the Constitution!

So a big mac will cost about $700.00 !
do you want frys with that?

I dont know what meat they use Now!
my dog will die before eating it.

and as for cows?well they dont need them, right?
so kill most of the cows off.
and this is Good for the cows!!!!

oh! wait they still Need to kill the cows
to make the new burgers !!!

They Killed all the Unicorns off Years ago.
they Evan make the mass murderer a Saint ???
saint George and the dragon.
he killed off cuteness and goodness.

Originally posted by Bob Sholtz
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

 

All that aside, I appreciate the conversations.

as do i.

a little off topic, but did anyone else initially read the title of this thread as "Test-Tube Meat's Secret Ingredient: Unicorn Blood"

haha, probably just me.