Today's special: 3D printed meat is what's for lunch, and dinner, and ...

[Flaxbee]

So, vegans and vegetarians, we all know the environmental cost of meat production. What do you think of this new possibility?

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ONE hamburger takes 6.7 pounds of grain, 52.8 gallons of water, 74.5 square feet of land, and 1,036 Btus of fossil fuel energy for feed production, according to a recent NPR study.


http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-blogs/other/4394165/Today-s-special--3D-printed-meat-?cid=NL_EETimesDaily

Fire up the grill for the latest in 3-D printing. Modern Meadow, a Missouri-based start-up has secured backing from billionaire Peter Thiel’s philanthropic foundation to create printable meat.

“If you look at the resource intensity of everything that goes into a hamburger, it is an environmental train wreck,” said Modern Meadow co-founder Andras Forgacs in an interview with Mashable.

<snip>

Take those numbers and multiply them by the 26.4 billion pounds of beef that was consumed in the US in 2010 and the environmental burden becomes catastrophic.

Despite these fact Americans, myself included, refuse to give up our love affair with our favorite meat.

Enter 3-D printing to save the day. Modern Meadow hopes the same 3-D printing technology currently being used to create medical grade tissue can be used to provide food for your table, without the environmental impact.

*More at link*

[rfranklin]

1. Replicator, make me a cheezburger!

Just like Star Trek!

[Flaxbee]

5. Chili dog!

Or, what used to be my favorite many many eons ago, steak frites.

I don't think I could stomach meat anymore, but this would be a terrific invention.

[Elad]

2. Personally I think it would be a cool invention.

If it was proven "safe" to eat and it reduced the environmental impact of the world's meat habit, great! Easier and healthier to just eat plants though in my opinion.

[Flaxbee]

4. Fruits and veggies are definitely healthier, but if this could be a way to wean

people off their meat addiction, reduce the environmental costs and eliminate the hideousness of the meat industry, I'm all for it! I'll support them as best I can, even if it means I buy the meat and donate it to a food bank - I really would love for this effort to succeed.

[lob1]

3. Do they print pink slime to put in the printed hamburger?

[Flaxbee]

6. I'm sure if you asked nicely enough they might.

[lob1]

7. Well, okay then.

[NV Whino]

8. That presents a question

"The firm has written a submission to the Department of Agriculture’s small business grant program, noting that its short-term goal is to create a chunk of meat one inch long."

Would that be called a slider or a mini-slider?

[Codeine]

9. "A Chunk of Meat One Inch Long" was my nickname in high school. nt

[WillParkinson]

10. Well...I certainly hope...

You grew out of it.

[Flaxbee]

12. lol

[WillParkinson]

11. Oh, Flaxbee...

You always find the neatest stuff.

[Flaxbee]

13. thanks, WillP!

[RebelOne]

14. I am hoping this will be in the supermarkets in the near future.

I have been a vegetarian for the past 15 years, but there have been times when I have craved a filet mignon or pork chop. That would be great because I could satisfy my craving and know that no animal had to die.