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Cultured Meat. Will you eat it?

(71 Posts)
Namsnanny Thu 24-Jun-21 23:19:02

In 2019 the first cooked cultured chicken meat was sold to the public in Singapore.

It seems all the big names have put their money into this and other cultured meat products.

It is on track to be available in our supermarkets from 2023-2030.

The savings for the planet and of course animal grown meat are obvious.

If it passes criteria for farmed meat, and is of a similar price, will you buy it?

Luckygirl Fri 25-Jun-21 22:02:55

I eat no red meat but do eat poultry and fish.

I would not have a problem with cultured meat - it sounds as though it will be an asset to the planet and reduce animal slaughter.

Namsnanny Fri 25-Jun-21 19:50:08

Its devastating to watch that doc. Isnt it BlueBelle?

I started supporting the charity with a similar name after watching it.

It's so worrisome to be confronted with the huge problems we are facing.
From recycling to becoming vegan, the reality is these arnt really solutions, they are just pushing the problem elsewhere.

I think, judging by the replies here, the supporters of cultured meat and fish are going to have to do a lot of promoting to get the public to see past the perceived negativity.

annodomini Fri 25-Jun-21 19:36:12

Oh yes, BlueBelle, DS, a committed vegan, told me I should watch Seaspiracy and I have only eaten fish once since. I didn't enjoy it at all and now will not eat it again. Haven't gone down the whole vegan route, but he's working on me! I don't want to eat something just because it tastes and looks like meat, so no to cultured meat.

timetogo2016 Fri 25-Jun-21 19:13:43

Spot on ElderlyPerson.
Don`t fancy soya milk either tbh.

BlueBelle Fri 25-Jun-21 19:08:57

Watch Seaspiracy documentary * jennifereccles* and see if you still eat fish

Esspee Fri 25-Jun-21 19:00:01

We eat real food in this house and that won’t be changing.

Namsnanny Fri 25-Jun-21 18:48:34

I would imagine the first introduction would be processed, frozen and fast food.

In terms of resources used, pets are nearly as high as the requirements of a child.
Perhaps this food could be used to feed them healthily, whilst being more sustainable?
I know a few people who feed their dogs a vegetarian diet, but their observations are, that the dogs really want meat every now and again.

Namsnanny Fri 25-Jun-21 13:04:37

Yes JenniferEccles I think my first reaction was to think of this meat as a 'Franken food"!

But the more I read about it the more positives I see.
There are no additives, so no hormones to worry about sloshing around our rivers, and infesting our water supply, damaging our sons and gsons fertility.

The ocean is under just as much (if not more) pressure as the land.

Fishing for the most part is unregulated.
No matter what it says on the tin, no one has the power, money or control, to actually check where the fish comes from or how it was caught (line and pole or trawl).

This cultured meat industry is gearing up to include fish as well.

I dont think it will be problem free, but nothing ever is.
Its balancing up the + and - that count.

JenniferEccles Fri 25-Jun-21 12:44:26

The knee jerk reaction is to say no, but with any new thing it’s important to not over-react until all the facts are known.

We tend to eat more fish than meat anyway.

Delila Fri 25-Jun-21 12:25:58

It sounds like a very interesting development. I don’t eat meat but do crave it sometimes, so I might give this a try, as long as there are no health concerns.

Namsnanny Fri 25-Jun-21 12:22:10

The main reason behind its introduction, I believe isnt to give vegans or vegetarians the chance to eat meat that doesnt harm any animal, although important.

The financial returns wouldn't outway the investment in that case.

As I understand it it is to make a valid attempt to release land that would otherwise be used to grow vegetables (aubergines?) Or rear animals for export in the third world.
Thereby allowing those people to more easily
feed themselves.

With the population of Africa and India increasing, they have to be fed somehow.

The co2 emissions, and the savings to be made (for the planet), from rearing, transporting, packaging, oil etc. are huge.

Not forgetting the benefit to the animals of course.

M0nica Fri 25-Jun-21 12:12:25

As with everything else I eat, the real thing or I do without. No substitutions.

SueDonim Fri 25-Jun-21 12:05:30

No. I’d rather become fully vegetarian.

MaizieD Fri 25-Jun-21 12:01:57

I don't see any good reason why I shouldn't eat it.

If it's indistinguishable from conventional 'meat' it solves a problem.

choughdancer Fri 25-Jun-21 11:52:21

I probably wouldn't eat it; basically because I wouldn't like it having been vegan for 8 years, and vegetarian for many years before that. BUT I'm very happy indeed that it is being produced as I know many people love the taste of meat, and this way they could have it with no other animal suffering.

I think it could speed up the abandonment of keeping and killing sentient creatures purely for human taste buds, as persuading many omnivores to eat vegan will take a very long time!

greenlady102 Fri 25-Jun-21 11:39:20

it gets a maybe from me

ElderlyPerson Fri 25-Jun-21 11:36:53

timetogo2016

I would rather eat soya tbh.

That can be read in various ways!

Do you mean that you enjoy soya or do you mean that you dislike soya but even though you dislike soya you would rather eat soya that the cultured (you know, but I avoid using the word).

I thought of getting some tofu but upon checking the ingredients it seemed to be basically like soya drink with not so much water in it and without the added vitamins, so I just stuck to the soya drink.

nanna8 Fri 25-Jun-21 11:35:04

Our cat prefers raw meat, guess it is closer to the things it would like to kill. He won’t eat cooked fish but give him it raw and he will nearly rip your hand off. Frightful beastie.

ElderlyPerson Fri 25-Jun-21 11:30:31

Oh, the /// etc bit is not a euphemism for some word, it is something to do with pressing the wrong keyboard key. I should have previewed it and checked - I usually do.

ElderlyPerson Fri 25-Jun-21 11:28:05

MayBee70

I am trying to eat less meat and have the occasional vegan day (but still have milk in tea I’m afraid) and do believe that we need to rethink what we eat and how the animals we eat are treated ( I actually feel awful writing that as I’m guilty of disassociating the meat I eat from the living creature it once was). But what do we do about feeding our dogs and cats? I know dogs can have a varied diet but cats have to eat meat.

Feeding a cat is a /////////////difficult area for vegans.

I try to rationalise it that cat food is from the side products of the meat industry. The cat is alive and needs to eat.

I suppose cultured meat catfood could be a good idea.

It is all very difficult.

timetogo2016 Fri 25-Jun-21 11:03:10

I would rather eat soya tbh.

MayBee70 Fri 25-Jun-21 10:52:11

I am trying to eat less meat and have the occasional vegan day (but still have milk in tea I’m afraid) and do believe that we need to rethink what we eat and how the animals we eat are treated ( I actually feel awful writing that as I’m guilty of disassociating the meat I eat from the living creature it once was). But what do we do about feeding our dogs and cats? I know dogs can have a varied diet but cats have to eat meat.

25Avalon Fri 25-Jun-21 10:48:25

Personally I would rather have free range or organic so probably wouldn’t eat it. BUT I think it is a better option to battery hens or intensive farming where animals are kept in unnatural cruel conditions.

Alegrias1 Fri 25-Jun-21 10:44:22

Thanks for the clarification MiniMoon.

Whitewavemark2 Fri 25-Jun-21 10:17:44

MiniMoon

Cultured meat isn't artificial, it is grown from the cells of real living animals.
Cultured Beef is created by painlessly harvesting muscle cells from a living cow. Scientists then feed and nurture the cells so they multiply to create muscle tissue, which is the main component of the meat we eat. It is biologically exactly the same as the meat tissue that comes from a cow.

I would eat it, without any qualms whatsoever.

That is what I thought and the way to go imo.

Why would you kill a sentient being when there is a viable alternative.