When browsing the Internet, I came across a news article that I found quite interesting, yet weird. Scientists are finding a new way to make “hamburger meat”, without harming or slaughtering these animals. Although this sounds great, costs are off the roof to produce this. Is this what the economy really needs at a time like this?
Regular “conventional beef” is made by taking the muscle tissue from a cow that has already been slaughtered. Scientists at Maastricht University have created methods to grows this same muscle tissue, but in a Petri dish. These scientists have worked the last five years researching and testing these ideas. As said in this article (Meet the New Meat) on Science News for Kids, they refer to this new creation as “cultured beef”.
As I was reading this article, I was wondering how they even came up with such an idea and where it even started. Like much of the research that is going on today, these scientists began this research with stem cells. This scientist took stem cells from a living cow and multiplied these cells. These cells eventually form into small strips, needing twenty of these to create a small patty for the burger.
As Hannah Rutzler explained the taste in the article, “There is quite some intense taste, and it’s close to meat”. She explained other details such as the meat not being very juicy.
Because the first grown burger was close to $300,000, it is assumed this product is not going to come out in the markets yet, although sometime soon.
I personally believe this is a great idea, if it means saving the animals. On a crazy note, this may convince some vegetarians to start eating the meat again. This is because the animal has not been slaughtered or killed using this method. I was not expecting to come across such an interesting idea. I honestly can’t tell if it is gross, or delicious.
Although it might be difficult or costly at first, “growing” burgers will become easier for scientists over time, as we learn the ins and outs of the process. There are so many pros to this new idea that I support every part of it. Not only do we save animals, but vegetarians will be happy as well. The whole process of slaughtering animals and the lack of respect they get just for the production of a single burger is outrageous when we obviously could find more efficient ways to get out meat intake.
I have also read about this. The economic implications of this must be speculated in favor of this becoming a thing. Plus, with all of the hormones and steroids we are pumping out cattle with I’m sure many people will be pro-anti-beef (I guess?). Anyway, I don’t think the beef is much worse than anything else us Americans shovel down…
My picture did not seem to come up, but it was a picture of the burger!