Comments on: Jason Matheny predicts animal-free meat within the decade http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away A Clear Voice for Science Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:42:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: John Nahay http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-14827 John Nahay Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:08:00 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-14827 Are there any jobs in the field of creating synthetic meat? The Peta X-Meat Prize is the single most practical applied problem in the history of life on this planet, because it gets to the fundamental question: how can we minimize life eating off other life? My YouTube videos on the subject. I am creating more, but for some unknown reason I cannot upload any more. Some error message interrupts midway every time. Species 1 of 4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkJ2BI8sWx4 Species 2 of 4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvELE6z4JTg Species 3 of 4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=qScGis_W894 Species 4 of 4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8IGavhmJQU Are there any jobs in the field of creating synthetic meat?
The Peta X-Meat Prize is the single most practical applied problem in the history of life on this planet, because it gets to the fundamental question: how can we minimize life eating off other life?
My YouTube videos on the subject. I am creating more, but for some unknown reason I cannot upload any more. Some error message interrupts midway every time.

Species 1 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkJ2BI8sWx4

Species 2 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvELE6z4JTg

Species 3 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qScGis_W894

Species 4 of 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8IGavhmJQU

]]> By: Robb Ess http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5420 Robb Ess Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:34:15 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5420 <p><em>as carcinogenic as In-Vitro Meat promises to be</em><br /> <em>Frankenmeat</em><br /> <em>synthetic hormones</em><br /> <em>anything that comes out of a test tube and grown in a soup of chemicals is going to be better for me than the natural product it is imitating</em><br /> Gotta love it!<br /> “Synthetic” meat sounds good to me. Since I am hooked on taking <em>synthetic hormones</em> just to stay alive (as a Type 1 diabetic), and those hormones are created in a <em>test tube</em>, and the previously available “natural” product came from pigs or cows, well…<br /> I wonder if they’ll be able to produce my catfish fillets, and be as tasty, as the one’s I catch locally?? hmm…</p> as carcinogenic as In-Vitro Meat promises to be
Frankenmeat
synthetic hormones
anything that comes out of a test tube and grown in a soup of chemicals is going to be better for me than the natural product it is imitating
Gotta love it!
“Synthetic” meat sounds good to me. Since I am hooked on taking synthetic hormones just to stay alive (as a Type 1 diabetic), and those hormones are created in a test tube, and the previously available “natural” product came from pigs or cows, well…
I wonder if they’ll be able to produce my catfish fillets, and be as tasty, as the one’s I catch locally?? hmm…

]]> By: Hank http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5365 Hank Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:29:27 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5365 <p>Jason,</p> <p>Thanks for the links! I’m sure you’ve heard the questions and concerns I raised in my earlier comment before and I appreciate your taking the time to respond. With all of the unhealthy and unnecessary additives in processed foods today, it is a natural concern when something new comes out of the food lab.</p> <p>After reading the information on your web site, it is evident that my questions (and quite a few others) have been well considered and accounted for in your research. With that knowledge, I must say that my former concerns are alleviated. I’m looking forward to trying it when it makes it to my local grocery store.</p> Jason,

Thanks for the links! I’m sure you’ve heard the questions and concerns I raised in my earlier comment before and I appreciate your taking the time to respond. With all of the unhealthy and unnecessary additives in processed foods today, it is a natural concern when something new comes out of the food lab.

After reading the information on your web site, it is evident that my questions (and quite a few others) have been well considered and accounted for in your research. With that knowledge, I must say that my former concerns are alleviated. I’m looking forward to trying it when it makes it to my local grocery store.

]]> By: Jason Matheny http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5348 Jason Matheny Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:57:40 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5348 <p>For more information about the process, see our 2005 paper for Tissue Engineering, a version of which is here:<br /> http://www.new-harvest.org/img/files/Invitro.pdf<br /> Regarding whether food is natural or unnatural, in our <span class="caps">FAQ</span> <br /> http://www.new-harvest.org/faq.htm#6 we wrote: <br /> Arguably, the production of cultured meat is less unnatural than raising farm animals in intensive confinement systems, injecting them with synthetic hormones, and feeding them artificial diets made up of antibiotics and animal wastes. At the same time, the conventional production of meat has led to a number of unnatural problems, including high rates of ischemic heart disease and foodborne illness, as well as soil and water pollution from farm animal wastes.</p> <p>Unless we’re hunter-gatherers, we’ve already opted for an unnatural food system. So for me it’s less a question of what is natural, and more a question of what’s healthy, sustainable, and ethical.</p> For more information about the process, see our 2005 paper for Tissue Engineering, a version of which is here:
http://www.new-harvest.org/img/files/Invitro.pdf
Regarding whether food is natural or unnatural, in our FAQ
http://www.new-harvest.org/faq.htm#6 we wrote:
Arguably, the production of cultured meat is less unnatural than raising farm animals in intensive confinement systems, injecting them with synthetic hormones, and feeding them artificial diets made up of antibiotics and animal wastes. At the same time, the conventional production of meat has led to a number of unnatural problems, including high rates of ischemic heart disease and foodborne illness, as well as soil and water pollution from farm animal wastes.

Unless we’re hunter-gatherers, we’ve already opted for an unnatural food system. So for me it’s less a question of what is natural, and more a question of what’s healthy, sustainable, and ethical.

]]> By: Hank http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5345 Hank Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:41:00 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5345 <p>Lindsay,</p> <p>Thanks for the answer to the “nutritious soup” question. I’m thinking as long as hormones and other unnatural “additives” aren’t added in then it may very well be a good alternative in many foods. </p> <p>I’m curious if coloring and flavoring additives will need to be mixed in to imitate beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, etc…? Or can different “flavors” and textures of meat can be grown to order?</p> <p>Low cholest. meat that tastes good – now that would be a hot item!</p> Lindsay,

Thanks for the answer to the “nutritious soup” question. I’m thinking as long as hormones and other unnatural “additives” aren’t added in then it may very well be a good alternative in many foods.

I’m curious if coloring and flavoring additives will need to be mixed in to imitate beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, etc…? Or can different “flavors” and textures of meat can be grown to order?

Low cholest. meat that tastes good – now that would be a hot item!

]]> By: Lindsay Patterson http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5273 Lindsay Patterson Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:42:05 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5273 <p>In my interview with Jason Matheny, he said that producing in-vitro meat is not much different from producing other biological products like yogurt. The “nutritious soup” referred to in the show consists of amino acids, sugars, and vitamins, which are housed in an incubator. These natural ingredients feed the ordinary growth and division of animal tissue cells. The cells eventually fuse together, and create muscle and connective tissue. That’s the part of the animal which we eat as ground beef, chicken nuggets, sausage, etc. </p> <p>Matheny pointed out that livestock don’t grow meat very efficiently – a lot of their energy goes into producing bone for their skeletal structure, and doing other things we can’t eat. As raising animals for human consumption has a large impact on the environment, so-called “animal free meat” is a way of meeting the world’s increasing demand for meat in a more efficient way. </p> <p>Paul, I agree – tree free wood would be great! Maybe someone is already working on this. It would solve even more of our environmental problems.</p> In my interview with Jason Matheny, he said that producing in-vitro meat is not much different from producing other biological products like yogurt. The “nutritious soup” referred to in the show consists of amino acids, sugars, and vitamins, which are housed in an incubator. These natural ingredients feed the ordinary growth and division of animal tissue cells. The cells eventually fuse together, and create muscle and connective tissue. That’s the part of the animal which we eat as ground beef, chicken nuggets, sausage, etc.

Matheny pointed out that livestock don’t grow meat very efficiently – a lot of their energy goes into producing bone for their skeletal structure, and doing other things we can’t eat. As raising animals for human consumption has a large impact on the environment, so-called “animal free meat” is a way of meeting the world’s increasing demand for meat in a more efficient way.

Paul, I agree – tree free wood would be great! Maybe someone is already working on this. It would solve even more of our environmental problems.

]]> By: Paul http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5318 Paul Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:15:21 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5318 <p>Animal free meat!? What does that even mean? That is like saying tree free wood (which I am more in favor of). We put enough artificial chemicals in our mouths as it is, we should not have started modifying food and we definately should not continue.</p> Animal free meat!? What does that even mean? That is like saying tree free wood (which I am more in favor of). We put enough artificial chemicals in our mouths as it is, we should not have started modifying food and we definately should not continue.

]]> By: Deborah Byrd http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5323 Deborah Byrd Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:09:51 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5323 <p>Hi ap,</p> <p>When I said I would go back to a simpler time if I could, I didn’t mean pony express days. I meant maybe 1968. I was a junior in high school then and I remember it as a less complicated world. Then again maybe we all think of our youth that way!</p> <p>Actually, though, I also think this is a wonderful time to be alive. Sometimes I wish I could live another 100 years, to see how it all turns out!</p> <p>Deborah</p> Hi ap,

When I said I would go back to a simpler time if I could, I didn’t mean pony express days. I meant maybe 1968. I was a junior in high school then and I remember it as a less complicated world. Then again maybe we all think of our youth that way!

Actually, though, I also think this is a wonderful time to be alive. Sometimes I wish I could live another 100 years, to see how it all turns out!

Deborah

]]> By: Abi http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5259 Abi Sun, 28 Sep 2008 02:19:12 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5259 <p>It would be interesting to know exactly what is needed to make this meat free meat.. but anything that stops some animals going through the trauma they do before we eat them sounds good to me, also most of the meat I buy these days has no taste and the steaks are tough, and I am trying as many different places as possible, basically I am in favour of this.</p> It would be interesting to know exactly what is needed to make this meat free meat.. but anything that stops some animals going through the trauma they do before we eat them sounds good to me, also most of the meat I buy these days has no taste and the steaks are tough, and I am trying as many different places as possible, basically I am in favour of this.

]]> By: a p garcia http://earthsky.org/agriculture/animal-free-meat-five-to-ten-years-away/comment-page-1#comment-5249 a p garcia Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:06:45 +0000 http://208.96.63.114/?p=4069#comment-5249 <p>Deborah: I seriously doubt you would want to go back to an earlier time. If you got sick, you would want the best that medical science has to offer in transplants, vaccines, and surgeries and not a “witch doctor”! You wouldn’t write for “Earth & Sky” not to mention the “internet”. You would get mail via “Pony Express”. I wouldn’t tell time with a watch, but by “The Sun”.</p> Deborah: I seriously doubt you would want to go back to an earlier time. If you got sick, you would want the best that medical science has to offer in transplants, vaccines, and surgeries and not a “witch doctor”! You wouldn’t write for “Earth & Sky” not to mention the “internet”. You would get mail via “Pony Express”. I wouldn’t tell time with a watch, but by “The Sun”.

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