Mrs and I tried lab grown fois gras quail, apparently the first in Australia. Amazing to be able to buy this in a restaurant, after hearing about it year after year.
It was certainly meaty, a flavour you simply don’t get with any meat-free chicken, really pungent and distinct (not that I’ve ever had dead quail).
A place called Bottarga in Brighton, Melbourne. Wasn’t cheap, but I’d pay top dollar to support the transition.
I actually spoke to some cultured food scientists the other week and that is almost word-for-word what they said; that in focus groups this question comes up every time and they want to see decade+ studies of people who eat it.
It may be genetically the same, but genetically the same as an animal with illness? Fish is the simplest to produce, but beef will take decades to get right.
I mean, I suspect EVERY new food would benefit from decades of studies, and every scientist would say they want that. But we don’t have decades to reduce meat intake.
And no, we’re not growing ill fish, there’s no way to do so. There are certain theoretical risks: (prion diseases? - cell cultures don’t use brain or spinal tissue. Cancer from immortal cells? - regulators have already banned these cells. Bacteria in vats? - less risk than in live animal tissues. Bioaccumulation of unexpected compounds? - already regulated by standard FDA protocols. Antibiotic use? - only used initially).
Otherwise there is no suspected or known mechanistic risks to consuming cultured meat. But don’t take my word for it, you’re already vegan, you’re already a true blue bloody legend. I appreciate your concern wholeheartedly ❤️
But meat eaters already eat parasite ridden, zoonotic disease filled puss bags for dinner, so I’m preparing my vitriol for them.