A question for my veggie friends.....

[patgund]

I know some of my friends are vegetarian, which is why I have an odd philosophical question. Non-vegetarians can join in if they want, but I'm curious about the vegetarian take on it?

Now, I know many people are vegetarian because of ethical reasons, (I'm not addressing religious, dietary, or personal preference here). Recently the US patent office awarded patent #6,835,390.

Patent Link Here

United States Patent 6,835,390
Vein December 28, 2004

Method for producing tissue engineered meat for consumption

Abstract

A non-human tissue engineered meat product and a method for producing such meat product are disclosed. The meat product comprises muscle cells that are grown ex vivo and is used for food consumption. The muscle cells may be grown and attached to a support structure and may be derived from any non-human cells. The meat product may also comprise other cells such as fat cells or cartilage cells, or both, that are grown ex vivo together with the muscle cells.

Assuming this method, (or one like it), can be brought down to an economic level that makes it the same price or cheaper than conventually-grown meat. If so, do you feel this would address the ethical concerns, (since no animals are being killed)? Do you feel that such a technique could deflate or otherwise reduce some of the more radical types, (such as Vegans and PETA?) Finally, do you feel that such a technique could be an economic success even if it brought the price down to match the commercial meat-analogs, (Wham, Tofurky, Quorn, etc.)

Comments

[angelique69.livejournal.com]

There was a very similar thing in one of the sci fi stories I read. Supposedly it had feelings in that story though on a very basic level. Also if it's just generic meat cells WTF CAN'T it be human? Me? Play devil's advocate? Shirley Knot! ;D Blessed Be, Angelique

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

Let's hear it for vat-grown steaks! I've seen those in enough SF series.

I don't eat mammal for many complicated reasons, including ethical. One of the lower-down-the-list reasons is that I just don't like the taste of either beef or pork. They're okay in stir fries and barbecue though, so I wouldn't have an ethical reason with eating them cooked that way if it was just chunks of meat grown in a vat.

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

Putting on the ethical hat: If you make a Beef Substitute, hereinafter referred to as BS, wouldn't it have had to originally come from beef if you were going to call the BS "synthetically" or "vat-grown" "Beef Food Product?"

[nolly.livejournal.com]

But it wouldn't necessarily require the death of the original tissue source(s), which is part of the ethical question. (There's also the factory farmingf/care and treatment of animals aspect.)

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

Yup. It would address all my concerns about cruelty to animals right there. After all, you only need a cell culture to get the process going.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

It seems to me that the ethical questions are addressed, but what about the taste? Straight muscle with no fat makes for dull eating. It would however address the cholesterol issue at least, but bleah.