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The thought of eating veal leaves many disgusted. But to an animal activist, it’s the seemingly unacceptable mass consumption of meat that fuels their fervor.
That’s why when research revealed a new technology nicknamed “test-tube meat,” in which cells from animals are extracted in a lab to create man-made meat, animal rights organizations such as People for Ethical Treatment of Animals were thrilled.
The concept of producing meat without needing to kill animal dates back to 1932, when Winston Churchill wrote, “Fifty years hence, we shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.”
This far-fetched, revolutionary theory that was believed too radical at the time has now become a reality.
In 2003, a group of artists from the University of Western Australia grew kidney bean-sized steaks from frog and sheep cells, according to www.popularmechanics.com.
The process is simple. Once animal muscle and fat stem cells, or myoblasts, are extracted, they are reproduced then soaked in a nutrient-rich solution. The cells then develop and are put into layers, which are stretched to recreate the texture of an actual muscle. The layers are stacked and a meat-like substance is produced. The entire process takes an average of only two weeks.
As of now, test-tube meat is a creamy color and slightly mushy, but this isn’t preventing PETA from championing its further development.
PETA is offering $1 million to the first contest participant to make in vitro chicken meat and sell it to the public by June 30, 2012.
“To win, the lab-grown meat must have a taste and texture indistinguishable from real chicken flesh, be produced in sufficiently large quantities to be sold commercially and successfully sold at a competitive price in at least 10 states,” according to www.npr.org.
Animal rights activists see test-tube meat as an alternative to the disputed conditions of factory farms and daily extermination of millions of animals.
According to PETA’s blog, “In addition to being kind of a cool concept lab meat would obviously be a lot more pleasant for animals, who could be pretty much removed from the whole equation.”
Because the concept of lab-made meat automatically appeals to animal activists and vegetarians, the biggest obstacle to overcome is persuading the meat-eating public to give it a try.
The task might be easier than people think. More meat eaters are beginning to question the onslaught of growth hormones, carcinogens and diseases discovered in meat, while taking into account the harm that mass consumption of meat has toward the environment.
The lab-meat movement sees a more broadly appealing rationale for its products, arguing it will facilitate the production of safer, healthier meat, according to www.slate.com.
So the question is, if test-tube meat looks like chicken, tastes like chicken and is healthier than chicken — will people eat it?
Only time will tell.
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