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> In a 2019 incident, an analysis of a line of cultivated chicken revealed that it had been contaminated with a small amount of rodent DNA, former employees sai
by gnicholas 4y ago
> In a 2019 incident, an analysis of a line of cultivated chicken revealed that it had been contaminated with a small amount of rodent DNA, former employees said, which Upside executives confirmed for this story.
Ms. Chen said the DNA stemmed from a common medical-research technique that used treated rodent cells to help support the meat cells’ growth early in the cultivation process. The company immediately stopped using that technique, she said.
Can someone explain what this "common medical-research technique" would be? I'm having a hard time understanding how this is passed off as "contamination" when it sounds like the rodent cells were deliberately put in contact with the food being created.
- fnordpiglet 4y agoMs. Chen is likely referring to the use of feeder cells or feeder layers, which are often used in cell culture to support the growth and differentiation of the target cells. Feeder cells are typically derived from rodents like mice or rats and provide essential growth factors, cell-to-cell signaling, and a supportive environment for the target cells. In the case mentioned, rodent feeder cells were likely used to support the growth of chicken cells during the early stages of the cultivation process. The contamination with rodent DNA could have occurred due to the close proximity of the rodent feeder cells to the chicken cells being cultured. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25659081/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25659081/ That said, having some rodent dna isn’t the same thing as eating rodents or allowing rodents to roll around in the meat or whatever. As long as it’s fit for human consumption, and you’re down with eating scientifically produced animal matter (SPAM), I don’t see an issue tbh.