In 1931, Churchill predicted lab-grown meat. The first lab-grown hamburger arrived three decades behind his schedule.
In “50 years hence“, Churchill wrote:
“With a greater knowledge of what are called hormones, i.e. the chemical messengers in our blood, it will be possible to control growth. We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.”
He imagines that lab-grown meat would prove a great boon to society, and will replace raising livestock on farms altogether.
The first lab-grown hamburger was fried up in 2013, 32 years later than Churchill’s prediction.
The scientist behind the burger said that the meat was made up of tens of billions of lab-grown cells.
One food expert said it was “close to meat, but not that juicy”; another said it tasted like a real burger.
It was a bit dry, according to its inventor Mark Post.
That shouldn’t be too surprising, because it was 100% lean and 0% fat.
And it cost a cool $330,000 dollars or £250,000.
Ten companies globally are racing to produce lab-grown meat for the masses.
The speculative price of a “frankenburger” is now a much more digestible $12.
Food technology has advanced so far that you can have your plant-based burgers bleed fake blood.
If that’s what you’re into.
Paul Shapiro recently tried the first foie gras made in a laboratory.
Apparently, it was rich, buttery, savory, and very decadent.
Like vegans or vegetarians, people who only eat cultured meat may even have their own title in the future — “Neomnivores“.
And the first company to produce a lab-grown fast-food taco will be crowned their King.
Every May 28th is Hamburger Day. How do you like your meat?
