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> They expect hybrid products, often made with animal cells and other ingredients such as plant-based protein, to have a quicker, less costly path to market. T

by Pxtl 4y ago

> They expect hybrid products, often made with animal cells and other ingredients such as plant-based protein, to have a quicker, less costly path to market. This is what I've always expected. Synthetic meat slurry added to conventional fakemeat vegetarian products, basically taking Impossible Burger's "synthetic heme" concept to the next level. > Upside said in 2021 that it found a way to produce some meat without using animal components. But its first chicken filets won’t be made with that process, the company said, noting that it intends to phase out the use of animal components. Wait, what does this mean? Like, the process needs constant refreshing with new animal meat? So it's not really cruelty-free? > “If alternative proteins are not successful, the Paris climate agreement goals are probably impossible” to meet, said Bruce Friedrich, president of the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit that advocates for alternative proteins. Beef and dairy cattle, along with other farm animals, are a major source of methane, a greenhouse gas. This isn't super relevant to the conversation here since there are very many alternative proteins that don't require inventing synthetic meat.

aendruk 4y ago
> Wait, what does this mean? Maybe they’re referring to FBS in media. Much of cell biology research has used cow blood as an easy way to nurture cells, and early lab grown meat continued to use that as a starting point. The switch to a more ethical alternative is underway.
hnboredhn 4y ago
I'm curious what the legal restrictions are here. I would imagine if a hamburger from a fast food restaurant could replace half of its meat with plant protein that I may not really notice if no one tells me. At the same time, the price differential is probably going to be very small that I would absolutely go for the pure meat option every time if its just within a dollar difference. I can't find for the US but I know there are strict rules on what can be called juice, for instance. It looks like Europe is more lenient than the US: https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927278172/veggie-burgers-can-be-called-burgers-european-parliament-says https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927278172/veggie-burgers-can-...
wongarsu 4y ago
> This isn't super relevant to the conversation here since there are very many alternative proteins that don't require inventing synthetic meat. If you look at our diets over the last millenium or so there was much less meat in the median person's diet. Much closer to "meat once a week or less". Meat alternatives aren't really about what we need nutritionally, it's about offering something people will voluntarily choose instead of meat when given the choice. Through that lens, synthetic meat is worth pursuing even if plant-based "meat" continues getting better and hashbrowns continue to exist.

by Pxtl 4y ago

aendruk 4y ago

> Wait, what does this mean? Maybe they’re referring to FBS in media. Much of cell biology research has used cow blood as an easy way to nurture cells, and early lab grown meat continued to use that as a starting point. The switch to a more ethical alternative is underway.

hnboredhn 4y ago

I'm curious what the legal restrictions are here. I would imagine if a hamburger from a fast food restaurant could replace half of its meat with plant protein that I may not really notice if no one tells me. At the same time, the price differential is probably going to be very small that I would absolutely go for the pure meat option every time if its just within a dollar difference. I can't find for the US but I know there are strict rules on what can be called juice, for instance. It looks like Europe is more lenient than the US: https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927278172/veggie-burgers-can-be-called-burgers-european-parliament-says https://www.npr.org/2020/10/23/927278172/veggie-burgers-can-...

wongarsu 4y ago

> This isn't super relevant to the conversation here since there are very many alternative proteins that don't require inventing synthetic meat. If you look at our diets over the last millenium or so there was much less meat in the median person's diet. Much closer to "meat once a week or less". Meat alternatives aren't really about what we need nutritionally, it's about offering something people will voluntarily choose instead of meat when given the choice. Through that lens, synthetic meat is worth pursuing even if plant-based "meat" continues getting better and hashbrowns continue to exist.