Growing Meat – Stem Cell ‘Ranching’ in the Future?
Most of us enjoy a good hamburger, without giving much thought to the process of getting that meat to our table. Dutch scientist, Dr. Mark Post, hopes by Fall this year to produce the first lab-grown hamburger. Post and his researchers have created strips of beef muscle using cow stem cells grown in a petri dish.
Imagine what this could mean for:
-Reducing the environmental impact of traditional ‘factory’ farming (greenhouse gases; energy, land and water use)
-Reducing the susceptibility of contamination (remember the e. coli outbreaks?)
-Reducing suffering in animals (PETA is offering a $1 million prize to the first person to create in vitro chicken meat and sell it to the public by June 30, 2012.)
-Increasing protein supplies in parts of the world
It is a fascinating application of stem cell technology.
The question remains, however, would that burger taste as good, if you knew it came from a dish and not off the hoof?
You have some time to contemplate your answer –It will be at least ten years before the artificial meat is produced on an industrial scale and has satisfied the safety testing necessary for it be placed on supermarket shelves.
Dennis M. Lox, MD, has been sucessfully preforming stem cell therapy for several years. Dr. Lox is located in the Tampa bay area in Clearwater, Florida
Information contained in this blog is intended for educational purposes only and not for medical diagnosis or treatment.If you have a medical concern or issue, please consult with your physician.
