The world's first test-tube burger, <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcnn.com%2F2012%2F08%2F13%2Ftech%2Finnovation%2Flab-grown-meat">grown in a laboratory from a cow's stem cells</a>, was served and eaten in London today. Scientists believe artificial meat could be sold in supermarkets within five to 10 years
Meat the future —
The world's first test-tube burger, grown in a laboratory from a cow's stem cells, was served and eaten in London today. Scientists believe artificial meat could be sold in supermarkets within five to 10 years
The burger, which cost more than $380,000 to develop, is made from 20,000 strips of cultured meat mixed together with lab-grown animal fat.
Cultured Beef —
The burger, which cost more than $380,000 to develop, is made from 20,000 strips of cultured meat mixed together with lab-grown animal fat.
Courtesy David Parry / PA
Dubbed the "Frankenburger", it was mixed with breadcrumbs and egg powder to emulate the normal flavor of a burger. To give it a beefy color, red beet juice and saffron were added.
The 'Frankenburger' —
Dubbed the "Frankenburger", it was mixed with breadcrumbs and egg powder to emulate the normal flavor of a burger. To give it a beefy color, red beet juice and saffron were added.
Courtesy David Parry / PA
Chef Richard McGeown fried the stem cell burger with sunflower oil and butter and remarked that it looked slightly paler than a traditional burger.
The cook —
Chef Richard McGeown fried the stem cell burger with sunflower oil and butter and remarked that it looked slightly paler than a traditional burger.
Courtesy Ogilvy PR
Volunteers who tasted the lab-grown burger for the first time today said that it closely resembled the texture of a traditional hamburger but lacked the "juiciness" and fat that they were used to.
Live taste test —
Volunteers who tasted the lab-grown burger for the first time today said that it closely resembled the texture of a traditional hamburger but lacked the "juiciness" and fat that they were used to.
Courtesy Ogilvy PR
The scientist behind the "Cultured Beef" project, Mark Post, hopes that laboratory-grown meat could provide a solution to increasing global demand for meat and protein. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), demand for meat is going to double during the next 40 years and current production methods are not sustainable.
Burger king —
The scientist behind the "Cultured Beef" project, Mark Post, hopes that laboratory-grown meat could provide a solution to increasing global demand for meat and protein. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), demand for meat is going to double during the next 40 years and current production methods are not sustainable.
Courtesy David Parry / PA
Post, from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, spent two years researching the initiative. "There's no doubt it would be revolutionary in the way we produce staple food," he said.
Lab notes —
Post, from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, spent two years researching the initiative. "There's no doubt it would be revolutionary in the way we produce staple food," he said.
Courtesy Ogilvy PR
It takes eight to nine weeks to produce just one stem cell burger. "It will always take this long for cells to multiply, but we could produce a million burgers in this time," Post said.
Meat demand —
It takes eight to nine weeks to produce just one stem cell burger. "It will always take this long for cells to multiply, but we could produce a million burgers in this time," Post said.
Synthetic meat, here being grown at Maastricht University, could also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address animal welfare problems.
What are the benefits? —
Synthetic meat, here being grown at Maastricht University, could also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address animal welfare problems.
Ogilvy Public Relations