Meat fuels millions of people, filling countless patties and
served up on thousands of steak platters. The demand for beef products
continues to grow, as do the accusations by animal activists and environmentalists.
The issue lies in the effects of producing so much beef, such as the humane treatment
of the cattle, the increased methane emissions from the animals that contribute
to global warming, and the unhealthy burden of livestock production. To combat these
growing issues Professor Mark Post has offered a solution; test-tube beef. Grown
from cow stem cells, this petri-grown gourmet delight might just be the answer
everyone has been seeking. Eliminating animal cruelty, the production of
greenhouse gasses, and the pressures of raising massive amounts of cattle, this
synthetic meat only needs a little science and careful observation. Though it
may seem like the answer to our environmental prayers, there are some obstacles
facing this new technology. The overall expense of the creation of just one
hamburger amounts to over 330,000 dollars, a major expense that cannot compete
with comparatively lower prices of cattle production, a least not at this
point. Also, the lack of taste and the unnatural creation of these “science
experiment” burgers are out of many people’s comfort zone, which makes selling
the beef on a large and marketable scale a great challenge. I personally
believe that the test-tube burger is an example of progress and innovation that
could, with further research and refinement, alleviate many environmental and
moral concerns. Though it is not a viable source of beef for the world at this
point, there is a possibility of greater use in the future, and I look forward
to possible other advancements lab-grown burgers can bring to us.
a link to the article discussed in this blog can be found at http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_23801061/first-test-tube-hamburger-patty-makes-its-debut.
ReplyDeleteWow, that technology is amazing! To think that one-day fast food establishments will be buying and selling test tube meat is astounding! The environmental gains that this would bring are extraordinary; animals would no longer need to be slaughtered for their meat. Although that would raise the question, what happens to these animals after they are no longer needed for their meat? While hens still provide eggs and cows milk, what happens to pigs or bulls? Would they become pest animals that no longer need to be domesticated? I worry this may cause an minor environmental problem of finding a place for these animals in this brand new world of astounding scientific advancements. I also wonder how this new technology will be received by the public will people have misgivings about eating test tube created burgers or ham? I also wonder how does the nutritional content of these new dishes compare? There are many questions to consider when deciding how and when to implement this new technology; but hopefully the kinks will be worked out soon so the negative environmental impact of using the beef we have now will be lessened.
I, personally, would never take part in this by eating "test-tube burgers." I believe that all animals have a purpose and it is our right as humans to take advantage of that purpose. I understand peoples' concerns with the humane treatment of animals and greenhouse gases but it seems to me there might be other, more practical ways of facing these problems. As of now, there are no federal regulations on the treatment of food animals. I feel that the government should take steps in this direction so that people will not feel a need for test-tube beef. Also, the livestock industry supports countless jobs all over the world and popularity of this type of meat would damage the global economy.
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ReplyDeleteI found this topic very interesting and was surfing through YouTube and found a scishow video about this very same topic. It brought up many interesting points that I did not know before, like for example it is projected that this new way of producing meat would produce 96% less green house gas emissions and use up to 96% less water and 99% less land; those stats alone I find mind boggling! I think there are many pros and cons to this issue and I can’t wait to see how far science can expand this new process and how society will receive it. What I find most amazing about this video is that is was created a year ago, and just last year an actual burger had not been created, to see how far science has taken this idea already is astounding. I also found the process that he explained fascinating; I was not aware that they had to “exercise” the meat with electrical impulses. Here is the link to this video and below in the comments many people are debating the ethical and other implications of this new technology, along with what this new meat should be called. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOfZtuKeTyM
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