August 18, 2009
In-vitro meat touted as better than conventional meat
Producing meat in-vitro would be healthier for humans and more environmentally-friendly, according to Jason Matheny of research group New Harvest.
Scientists will control ingredients such as fat and acid ratios in meat, which could lead to a hamburger preventing heart attacks rather than causing them, Matheny said.
He also claimed that in-vitro meat would reduce risks of human diseases that livestock farming causes, including bird flu, mad cow disease, swine flu and salmonella contamination.
In-vitro meat production would be under sterile conditions impossible in conventional slaughterhouses, and only the required quantity will be produced, leading to higher efficiency, the group said.
So far, Matheny and New Harvest are not alone in supporting in-vitro meat production. The Netherlands has invested US$4 million into in-vitro meat production, while the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has offered a US$1 million prize for an in-vitro chicken product.
A late 2006 FAO report said the livestock sector is one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, including issues such as soil degradation, water pollution and greenhouse gas emission.
