In Vitro Meat Related Process And Patent Arguments In Favor

In vitro meat should not be confused with imitation meat, which can be a vegetarian food product produced from vegetable protein, usually from soy or gluten. The terms synthetic meat and artificial meat are ambiguous, as they may refer to either.

2 Process and patent

In 2001, dermatologist Wiete Westerhof from the University of Amsterdam and businessmen Willem van Eelen and Willem van Kooten announced that they had filed for a worldwide patentA patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a government to an inventor or applicant for a limited amount of time (normally 20 years from the filing date). The term "patent" originates from the term patere which means to lay open (to public inspectio on a process to produce in vitro meat (patent number WO9931222). A matrixIn biology, the word matrix is used for the material between animal or plant cells, or generally the material (or "tissue") in which more specialized structures are embedded, and also specifically for one part of the mitochondrion. The internal structure of collagenCollagen is the main protein of connective tissue. It has great tensile strength, and is the main component of ligaments and tendons. It is responsible for skin elasticity, and its degradation leads to wrinkles that accompany aging. Collagen also fills ou is seeded with muscleskeletal muscle Muscle is one of the four tissue types. The other three types are: epithelium, connective tissue and nervous tissue. The primary purpose of muscle tissue is to contract. Muscle contraction is used to move parts of the body, as well as to m cells, which are then bathed in a nutritious solution and induced to divide.

3 Arguments in favor

3.1 Reduced animal suffering

In vitro meat may appeal to animal welfareAnimal welfare is the viewpoint that some or all animals, especially those under human care, should be treated in such a way that they do not suffer unnecessarily. This position places some ethical value on the life of animals, while being weaker than ani advocates and others concerned about animal well-being. Replacing traditional meat with in vitro meat has the potential to reduce overall animal suffering; however it does not eliminate it. See also: "Animals are still used" argument, below.

3.2 Health

In vitro meat may be cleaner and less prone to diseaseA disease is any abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the person affected or those in contact with the person. Sometimes the term is used broadly to include injuries, disabilities, syndromes, symptoms, than animals, provided that donor cells are not contaminated.

3.3 Environment

The negative environmental consequences of traditional meat production, such as nitrateNitrates are the salts of nitric acid. The nitrate ion is the polyatomic ion with chemical formula N O−; it is the conjugate base of nitric acid. The nitrate ion is planar and has the following structure: O O− \\ / N+ | O− A nitrate salt contamination and methane production, are reduced. While there will be some byproducts in the process of creating the nutrients to grow the cells, the environmental demand should still be lessened.

3.4 Space food

On long space voyages or stays, in vitro meat could be grown alongside hydroponic vegetables.

4 Arguments against

4.1 Animals are still used

Animals are still used as tools in multiple steps. For example, cell and tissue culture almost always use calf or fetal calf serum (or other animal sources, such as pituitary extracts) to provide the growth factors the cells need to signal them to divide.

4.2 Artificial environment

At least initially, many people will likely prefer meat grown in a natural rather than an artificial environment. Luddites and environmentalists may not want any scientific or technological interference with nature, especially interference with food. On the other hand, many opponents may prefer the consumption of in vitro meat by others to the slaughter of live animals.

4.3 Quality, safety and health

People may be concerned that in vitro meat is of lesser quality than traditional meat, and that there are unresolved health risks. However, like any food product, in vitro meat would be required to pass through many safety and health trials before it could be sold.

4.4 Differences from traditionally produced meat

If in vitro meat is different in appearance, taste, smell, texture and other factors, this may reduce its appeal. On the other hand, the absence of fat and bone may also be an advantage.

5 Economic impact

It is not yet known whether in vitro meat is economically competitive with traditional meat. For in vitro meat, costs only apply to the meat production, whereas for traditional meat, costs include animal raising and environmental protection. The currently required laboratory setting for in vitro meat is very expensive, however.

6 Fiction

In The Space Merchants ( 1952) by Frederik Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth, artificial meat is grown in huge lumps tens of metres in diameter, workmen walking on top of it and harvesting slices with big knives.
In Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand ( 1984) by Samuel R. Delany, the main character's culture uses vat-grown meat cultured from humans as the primary protein source. Interaction between this culture and cultures using 'natural' meat are (briefly) explored.
Claude Zidi 's 1976 comedy film L'aile ou la cuisse starring Louis de Funes as top-notch gourmet and Julien Guiomar as the infamous Tricatel who secretly produces artificial food.

7 See also

8 External links

Patent WO9931222 "Industrial Scale Production of Meat from in vitro Cell Cultures"
"Fish fillets grow in tank", New Scientist news article
"Lab-grown steaks nearing the menu", New Scientist news article
"Lab-grown steak", Slashdot discussion

Meat

<Hide>

Home > In vitro meat

1 Related