I’ve been wanting to write about the sci-fi notion of in-vitro meat for a while now. In-vitro meat (also called cultured, test tube, or lab-grown) is meat that is “grown” from cells in a petri dish, not from a living animal.
This week, however, the New York Times reported on this phenomenon. So sci-fi is becoming reality. Time to take a look at what the meat of the future could look like.
In the prototype, beef muscle tissue is grown into a piece of meat. This isn’t vegan, of course, since the source is from a cow. Future versions could be non-animal based.
Would you eat meat grown in a lab? I still stand by the loads of scientific research that shows how unhealthy meat is. It clogs arteries, provides no fiber, turns on cancer cells, and promotes diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. But if mainstream America doesn’t jump on the vegan bandwagon, I’d rather they buy lab-grown meat than support the slaughter of sentient beings.
Eating in-vitro meat bypasses the factory farm and slaughterhouse. It skirts around issues such as dehorning, debeaking, castrations without anesthetic, transportation, water and grain consumption and land use. It’s environmentally much better.
For me, going vegan was about reducing suffering so I’m personally on board with in-vitro meat. I’d still like to see people adopt whole food plant-based diet though.
This technology might also be able to “grow” leather in a lab, so there really are a lot of possibilities.
Sunshine and Slaughter 
Never heard of this. I’ll stick to my plant-based life-style which I love, but I see the value in it for meat-eaters and saving animals as well as being better for the planet.
As you know, I am not even vegetarian let alone vegan but I support those people who are. I am, by my rough estimate, about 90-95% so.
I would ask, and I expect there is no answer yet, if in vitro meat has the same ill-health effects , which I understand are largely due to the cholesterol and saturated fat content of animal meat? No doubt, some of the ill-health effects are caused by residual hormones, antibiotics,etc., etc.which also ought not to be in in-vitro meat.
No doubt, these issues will take perhaps some 30 years for answers to evolve.
I think 90-95% vegan/vegetarian is great! You’re doing a world of good (for yourself, and the animals) by limiting your meat and dairy consumption. I agree with you that in-vitro meat wouldn’t have the antibiotics or growth hormones so it would be healthier than meat from animals. But you’re right about the fat and cholesterol. Those aren’t good for us. I still think plant-based is best but for people who want a “treat,” in-vitro cuts out the cruelty. Thanks for commenting!
Reblogged this on Vegan,Vegan and commented:
Oh, yum!
Ha ha! Well, I don’t like the sound of it, but I don’t like “real” meat either.