Would you eat lab-grown beef? This was the question I posed last week on the blog, and generated a pretty interesting discussion in the comments section. While most agreed that test-tube meat sounded awfully unappealing, there are a growing number of folks in the media saying, “why not?”
The argument is that fewer cattle will be harvested for human consumption, so test-tube beef would save animals. Additionally, proponents of the synthetic meat say fewer resources would need to be used. For them, the fake protein seems like a great option.
Already, $330,00 has been invested on the project to grow meat from bovine stem cells, according to TIME.
While I strongly oppose test-tube beef, for reasons listed in the blog last week, we want to know your thoughts on the topic.
The latest poll on the BEEF magazine homepage discusses how a Dutch researcher is utilizing bovine stem cells grown in a petri dish to produce the first-ever hamburger in a lab by this fall. Do you think consumers will ever warm up to lab-grown beef? Vote here.
With 48 votes in so far, 17% say, “Yes, the ‘ick’ factor can be overcome.” Meanwhile, the majority at 77% say, “Not in our lifetimes.” Another 6% aren’t sure.
What’s your take? Would you order a test-tube burger at a restaurant?
