SuperMeat

[Member Berry 1,217]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSD0_I1MwqU

 

This is awesome. I don't get why it's not being talked about more. I'm transitioning to a vegetarian but I would probably eat this meat. What do you guys think of it?

[Invincible 2,091]

Sounds almost too good to be true. I'm not gonna lie, this sounds interesting. But the YouTube video and their site seem a bit like an advertising attempt. I heard about cultured meat before, and these guys didn't discuss about how they plan to implement their technology, how long it takes for them to create their meat, etc. idk, guess i'm just skepitcal. But maybe this'll work out. 

[Anneal 2,196]

Sounds almost too good to be true. I'm not gonna lie, this sounds interesting. But the YouTube video and their site seem a bit like an advertising attempt. I heard about cultured meat before, and these guys didn't discuss about how they plan to implement their technology, how long it takes for them to create their meat, etc. idk, guess i'm just skepitcal. But maybe this'll work out.

 

It's been proposed for quite a while, but I don't see cultured meat maturing into a full blown industry, at least not until two decades for now. It'll certainly be worked on though, especially since it will significantly cut down on water consumption (440 gallons for a pound of beef). It'll be a food for the well-off, though.

[Invincible 2,091]

It's been proposed for quite a while, but I don't see cultured meat maturing into a full blown industry, at least not until two decades for now. It'll certainly be worked on though, especially since it will significantly cut down on water consumption (440 gallons for a pound of beef). It'll be a food for the well-off, though.

I just find it odd that i couldn't find enough information regarding how quickly cultured products are "ripened", what resources are involved (just how much are those "little amounts" of resources discussed in the video) and what other products will be introduced inside the meat such as food additives or artificial vitamins (which would otherwise be present as the butchered animal consumes them from it's own food during it's lifetime).

 

Considering SuperMeat's goals are to market the technology, you would assume they would try to attract would-be manufacturers.

 

I do find the prospect intriguing, but, you know - there are no free meals. I have my doubts about it succeeding as a driving force in the food industry as well.

Edited July 19, 2016 by Invincible

[Member Berry 1,217]

I don't think this will be a thing that'll happen soon unfortunately. It's still pretty awesome though and it's a step in a good direction. 

[captainborgue 343]

Last I heard, the cost breakdown for the prototyping stage was around 10k$ per pound. Maybe if the technology needed can be produced to economies of scale, that will lower it enough to be competitive, but it's nowhere NEAR that now.

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

So my steak may one day come out of a petry dish. noice.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,302]

I once read a very old science fiction story about a scientist on the moon. He didn't drink, and missed milk. Using his abilities, he built a synthetic cow digestive system. It produced milk from waste paper. One of the only organic components was a cow liver. This wouldn't stop growing and needed to be constantly trimmed down. When others found out, they were overjoyed at a cheap source of meat that didn't have to be shipped from Earth.  

Edited July 19, 2016 by cuteycindyhoney

[Anneal 2,196]

So my steak may one day come out of a petry dish. noice.

Don't see anything wrong with that, though. Just because something is natural doesn't necessarily mean better. Appeal to nature is fallacious. I'll be glad we will have a potentially cheaper way to produce meat that doesn't cause as much pollution or use up lots of precious water.

[Shanks 10,816]

This has potential, but will take a long time to perfect and become affordable. We could free up a lot of that farm land for other uses and reduce or possibly even end a lot of cruel factory farming practices.

[Dreambiscuit 9,345]

Of course it's a promising idea, but promising ideas like this always end up costing more than the present standard, even if they initially claim otherwise. Once everyone buys into the idea on a large scale the price will magically go up. It happens with too many other areas of endeavor. Take energy conservation and solar and wind power. To buy and set up the equipment necessary to benefit from it, you end up spending more than you would on years of normal use on the grid.

And just getting Supermeat on the market is another hurdle. Government won't take a stand because they don't want to be viewed as the bad guys out to put farmers out of work. It's just the same as alternative fuels for transportation; the oil companies and auto manufacturers tug on their politicians' chains and everything remains in its same stagnated state. And adapting the technology on a scale needed to mass-produce the meat would, as always, be passed right along to the customers, effectively defeating it's purpose as an affordable alternative.