Editor's note: Isha Datar is the director of New Harvest, a nonprofit group founded in 2004 to promote the development of cultured meat.
On Monday, three lucky diners nibbled a $325,000 burger - not in the name of luxury but in the name of science, animal rights and sustainability. The meat was grown in a lab.
This in-vitro hamburger is "cultured" in many different ways: It's the product of human ingenuity, it's considerate of humans, animals and the planet, and it's produced through growing cells.
Tasters declared the hamburger a little dry, and you won't be able to buy one any time soon. But that's not the point: It's a proof of concept prototype - evidence that it is physically possible to produce meat through cell culture.
It's a step toward a day when meat can be produced in a cost-effective, time-efficient and completely animal-free manner.
Read - Why your burger should be grown in a lab
Previously:
Test tube burger flavor 'missing something'
No way Jose!
I don't think the meat is intended for our nation. Maybe it will help nations that have a great amount of hunger and poverty.
Coming soon to a franchise near you: The McPetri Burger!
What about human rights? I cannot believe for a moment that lab enginereed "food" is at all healthy.
NO!!!!!!!
We WILL NEVER accept this,EVER!
THE LAst thing we need is the GOVERNMENT MAKING meat.THAT is UN-GODLY!!!!!!! NEVER WILL WE DEAL WITH THIS!!!
THE more it is ceated,them ore chemicals can be put.THIS IS AN UNHOLY SIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"It's a step toward a day when children can be produced in a cost-effective, time-efficient and completely s3x-free manner."
"It's a step toward a day when children can be produced in a cost-effective, time-efficient and completely sex-free manner."
You ground up a dog?!?! *sniff*
"It's a step toward a day when meat can be produced in a cost-effective, time-efficient and completely animal-free manner."
When that day comes, sign me up! Don't really care if the meat comes from a lab as long as it tastes the same.