Genetically Modified Meat coming this summer...

Wurly

Just came across this article http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/05/01/first-genetically-modified-meat-and-salmon-to-be-approved-for-summer-2013/

So, Genetically Modified Meat is to be approved for this summer in the US. Is this something that worries you? Would you eat GMO meat? If not, why not?

I'm really not sure what to make of it....

Death and Taxes

Wurly wrote: »

Just came across this article http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/05/01/first-genetically-modified-meat-and-salmon-to-be-approved-for-summer-2013/

So, Genetically Modified Meat is to be approved for this summer in the US. Is this something that worries you? Would you eat GMO meat? If not, why not?

I'm really not sure what to make of it....

Why not, at least we lead the US on this one, we turned horse into beef and nobody noticed for years:D

kneemos

Wurly wrote: »

Just came across this article http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/05/01/first-genetically-modified-meat-and-salmon-to-be-approved-for-summer-2013/

So, Genetically Modified Meat is to be approved for this summer in the US. Is this something that worries you? Would you eat GMO meat? If not, why not?

I'm really not sure what to make of it....

Burgers,lasagne,stews...

galwayrush

We definitely wouldn't notice in a burger.

chocksaway

In reality gm food has been around for ages. Cattle or whatever were bread for certain traits. The angus for great steaks and fresians for milk. The new GM foods just cut out the middle man and give you exactly what you want

The Barefoot Pizza Thief

The fish is sterile, and would be raised in a series of large scale tanks

I don't even support raising fish in tanks / factory farming, let alone genetically modifying them first.

seantorious

The Barefoot Pizza Thief wrote: »

I don't even support raising fish in tanks / factory farming, let alone genetically modifying them first.

Its all well and good for us in the 1st world talking about principles but there are billions in the world without food. If genetic engineering can produce food faster, cheaper and more plentiful then it can be justified.

Gotham

Take tomatoes for instance, they have been mass produced and the selective breeding has reduced the flavor in favor of yield etc.

They are now using GM tech to bring back the old tomato, the one that tastes a lot better and most people around these days never had it.

There is nothing wrong with GM as long as we don't lose species. (For example, gm wheat cannot reproduce on its own).

On the other hand, I don't agree with most organic food methods, the farmers use organic pesticides which are not designed to dissipate and end up harming the environment more. Synthetic pesticides are designed to dispose of themselves.

5starpool

Tbh, I can't see how there would be any health risks, and as long as it tastes fine I certainly don't have a problem with it. Cows are meat, we eat them. Whether they are genetically modified or not wouldn't bother me.

The Barefoot Pizza Thief

seantorious wrote: »

Its all well and good for us in the 1st world talking about principles but there are billions in the world without food. If genetic engineering can produce food faster, cheaper and more plentiful then it can be justified.

Don't give me that bull.

There is enough food already to feed those in the third world, it just doesn't happen. We waste something like a 1 Billion Tonnes of food each year and so the chances of genetically modifying food benefiting them is very slim.

Sanctimonious nonsense to excuse profiteering.

seantorious

The Barefoot Pizza Thief wrote: »

Don't give me that bull.

There is enough food already to feed those in the third world, it just doesn't happen. We waste something like a 1 Billion Tonnes of food each year and so the chances of genetically modifying food benefiting them is very slim.

Sanctimonious nonsense to excuse profiteering.

Yeah you're right I'm sick of tesco chicken costing €3 for 2 breasts. I want cheap food, and I want cattle to be bred to have their meat taste of smokey bacon.

I really think you misunderstand how impoverished the third world is and what do you think happens when Asian and Africa (2 billion) become westernised and increase their meat consumption. We need more food, and none of this airy fairy organic b/s will do it.

Gotham

The Barefoot Pizza Thief wrote: »

Don't give me that bull.

There is enough food already to feed those in the third world, it just doesn't happen. We waste something like a 1 Billion Tonnes of food each year and so the chances of genetically modifying food benefiting them is very slim.

Sanctimonious nonsense to excuse profiteering.

We cant ship it all to Africa. The logistics are impossible.
The GM wheat is designed to grow in harsh African conditions.

pragmatic1

I'd eat GM meat with no worries.

kneemos

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I'd eat GM meat with no worries.

Might taste better with a few spuds and veg.

Antar Bolaeisk

Does this mean there'll finally be enough chicken wings for everyone? It's such a pain that they only come with two.

One more step towards vat grown steaks.

Finally! Can't wait to try buffalo wings from actual buffalos.

stimpson

seantorious wrote: »

I want cheap food, and I want cattle to be bred to have their meat taste of smokey bacon.

I was dead against it until I read this.

IM0

I couldnt care as long as it tastes the exact same and the texture is the exact same.
in other words youd need a scientists in a laboratory to tell you its been genetically modified

the groutch

I'm fine with it once there's no foal play involved.

kneemos

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

Does this mean there'll finally be enough chicken wings for everyone? It's such a pain that they only come with two.

One more step towards vat grown steaks.

Was it Star Trek that had the food syntheciser?

Seaneh

Whatever about GM beef, GM Salmon shouldn't be let anywhere near our waters, the wild stocks are already being damaged by farms on the west coast, if the mega farm in Galway Bay gets the go ahead the domestic stock will be ****ed rightly.

IM0

Gotham wrote: »

Take tomatoes for instance, they have been mass produced and the selective breeding has reduced the flavor in favor of yield etc.

They are now using GM tech to bring back the old tomato, the one that tastes a lot better and most people around these days never had it.

:eek: I thought it was the GM that made them this way!

cucumber flavoured tomatoes and peppers are all kinds of wrong

kowloon

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

Does this mean there'll finally be enough chicken wings for everyone? It's such a pain that they only come with two.

One more step towards vat grown steaks.

They amputate the wings. It's done humanely and they grow back. I fail to see the problem.

IM0 wrote: »

cucumber flavoured tomatoes and peppers are all kinds of wrong

Cucumber flavoured cucumbers are wrong.

Gotham

IM0 wrote: »

:eek: I thought it was the GM that made them this way!

No, see the difference between: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_breeding

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Foods

The first one has been done for thousands of years by man, the second is newer and similar, but the basic idea is to skip the years of breeding and engineer the genome to do what they wish.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/28/155917345/how-the-taste-of-tomatoes-went-bad-and-kept-on-going

Wurly

seantorious wrote: »

Its all well and good for us in the 1st world talking about principles but there are billions in the world without food. If genetic engineering can produce food faster, cheaper and more plentiful then it can be justified.

We don't need more food on the planet. We already waste a massive amount of food. Making food GM wouldn't solve the problem of starvation.

blatantrereg

No. Vegetarian.

It seems like a more efficient means of food production. Article is misinformed - food shortages will become a major concern if efficiency of food production is not increased greatly. This will result from expected continued increases in global population. It is not a mainstream media myth. It is the official position of many major bodies including the UN. It is a major argument in favour of vegetarianism. It is more efficient to produce vegetable foods for direct human consumption than to produce them for animals which then feed humans.

Other ethical questions arise. It sounds like an extreme form of factory farming. I imagine there will be little semblance between the lives of these fish and the lives of wild salmon. How much of a concern this should be depends possibly on how much the difference would effect the salmon.

GM to increase food size makes sense. Some major objections to GM crops are that they are modified to tolerate pesticides, and those pesticide may be poisonous and/or damaging to the environment. A similar factor does not seem to exist here. Also I understand they will be raised in special areas separated from the normal ecosystem.

byhookorbycrook

GM foods will be the property of the company that creates them. Which can then charge whatever they like for the products. Not good news for poorer countries.

Capt'n Midnight

Gotham wrote: »

There is nothing wrong with GM as long as we don't lose species. (For example, gm wheat cannot reproduce on its own).

On the other hand, I don't agree with most organic food methods, the farmers use organic pesticides which are not designed to dissipate and end up harming the environment more. Synthetic pesticides are designed to dispose of themselves.

Some gm wheat is designed not to reproduce on it's own. Doesn't mean it won't ever.

Some GM is essential like producing medicines that could not otherwise be produced.

Other GM is just a land grab , an attempt to patent and achieve vendor lock in with little nutritional benefit.

GM includes producing plants that can tolerate extra high doses of patented weedkiller - so they can sell more weedkiller

some synthetic pesticides may be designed to dispose of themselves , [Citation Needed]

Capt'n Midnight

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

GM foods will be the property of the company that creates them. Which can then charge whatever they like for the products. Not good news for poorer countries.

NB. any seeds or cuttings or descendants of patented GM would also be the property of the company

experiMental

People can print meat right now. Yes, ya heard me : print meat. So no more horse meat. Just take stem cells from the most delicious animals and grow meat from them, instead of slaughtering them.

http://io9.com/5936317/billionaire-peter-thiel-invests-in-the-development-of-3d-printed-meat

Hownowcow

The Barefoot Pizza Thief wrote: »

I don't even support raising fish in tanks / factory farming, let alone genetically modifying them first.

What class of lunatic would let a fish loose in a tank?

M three

seantorious wrote: »

Its all well and good for us in the 1st world talking about principles but there are billions in the world without food. If genetic engineering can produce food faster, cheaper and more plentiful then it can be justified.

But the stuff isn't being made available to the people who really need it most, is it...

Celly Smunt

I don't think id trust general motors making my meat.

Wurly

M three wrote: »

But the stuff isn't being made available to the people who really need it most, is it...

No. But modifying food genetically won't solve that! The GM food probably wouldn't be made available to them either for the same reasons that normal food isn't.

Duggys Housemate

M three wrote: »

But the stuff isn't being made available to the people who really need it most, is it...

GM is being used in Africa.

Duggys Housemate

Wurly wrote: »

No. But modifying food genetically won't solve that! The GM food probably wouldn't be made available to them either for the same reasons that normal food isn't.

Food is hard to transport. Simply Africa needs to produce enough internally.

As for meat - it's only sometimes inefficient. Cows eat grass in Ireland and most of Europe , and much of that land would not work for market gardening.

blatantrereg

experiMental wrote: »

People can print meat right now. Yes, ya heard me : print meat. So no more horse meat. Just take stem cells from the most delicious animals and grow meat from them, instead of slaughtering them.

http://io9.com/5936317/billionaire-peter-thiel-invests-in-the-development-of-3d-printed-meat

It's not cost-efficient and it tastes bad, from what I have read. The picture at the top of that page is not of actual vat-grown meat. I'm sure they will try to develop it to the stage where it is appetising and cost-efficient. It avoids most of the ethical objections against meat consumption and it would be good if it replaced meat. Personally I would still not eat it, but it wouldn't be because of ethical reasons.

Shenshen

I'm not eating any meat anyway, so I'm not really all that bothered.

5starpool

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm not eating any meat anyway, so I'm not really all that bothered.

Well bully for you.

Or not, as the case may be actually.

blatantrereg

5starpool wrote: »

Well bully for you.

Or not, as the case may be actually.

It is. Personally I'm concerned that ethical resource efficient methods of meat production may be developed. It's like pulling the moral high ground right out from under us. Back mixing with the savages. Savages is what we call meat eaters.

Duggys Housemate

blatantrereg wrote: »

It is. Personally I'm concerned that ethical resource efficient methods of meat production may be developed. It's like pulling the moral high ground right out from under us. Back mixing with the savages. Savages is what we call meat eaters.

Quietly. And behind our protein fed masculine backs.

shruikan2553

Dont they use GM rice in India? Make it more resilient to the weather and allow it to be grown twice a year .

blatantrereg wrote: »

No. Vegetarian.
It is a major argument in favour of vegetarianism. It is more efficient to produce vegetable foods for direct human consumption than to produce them for animals which then feed humans

Until they make bacon and angus plants vegetarianism wont become popular enough for that.

Wurly

shruikan2553 wrote: »

Dont they use GM rice in India? Make it more resilient to the weather and allow it to be grown twice a year .

Personally speaking, I would find the idea of GM meat far more scarier than a bit of rice. I don't eat meat but if I did, the GM thing would worry me. It's just so unnatural.

Capt'n Midnight

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

GM is being used in Africa.

[citation needed]

You see under EU rules anything with more than 1% GMO is banned so the Africans are properly paranoid about US food aid containing GMO in case the farmers plant any of it. Because if they do it'll kill off future exports to the EU.

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Food is hard to transport. Simply Africa needs to produce enough internally.

Between the Saudai's and Indian's there is an area the size of Belgium in East Africa that's being used to grow food for export back home. It's easier to use African water to grow food than to provide water back home.

shruikan2553

Wurly wrote: »

Personally speaking, I would find the idea of GM meat far more scarier than a bit of rice. I don't eat meat but if I did, the GM thing would worry me. It's just so unnatural.

I dont think it makes a difference if its plant or meat, we break it down to the stuff we do absorb so as long as our body is breaking it down the same it shouldn't cause issues and will be identical to us with the difference being at a DNA level which is destroyed when we eat it.

Im a chemistry and physics kind of guy so I'm probably missing some sort of biology stuff in there

thiarfearr

It starts with GM animals and ends with them just growing the meat in the lab. Don't like the thought of eating lab grown meat

Duggys Housemate

thiarfearr wrote: »

It starts with GM animals and ends with them just growing the meat in the lab. Don't like the thought of eating lab grown meat

Why?

crazy8

I fully support a natural genetic diversity. Any kind of GM animal will be weakened as a species in that they are more susceptible to disease on a larger scale.

GM food will not help the poor out of poverty. Regulation of GM food in poorer countries and the greater freedom large companies have to make mistakes, not be held properly accountable and exploit within those countries does not fill me with confidence.

Duggys Housemate

crazy8 wrote: »

I fully support a natural genetic diversity. Any kind of GM animal will be weakened as a species in that they are more susceptible to disease on a larger scale.

GM food will not help the poor out of poverty. Regulation of GM food in poorer countries and the greater freedom large companies have to make mistakes, not be held properly accountable and exploit within those countries does not fill me with confidence.

Most farmed flora and fauna are as natural as Pamela Anderson's tits.

Ruudi_Mentari

Not my porridge,

is only ever gettin johnetically nomified. I lob all kinds of goodies in there....

blatantrereg

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Quietly. And behind our protein fed masculine backs.

I'm bigger and stronger than most people. When I train, I get stronger faster than most people.
If I'm not bigger and stronger than you, then most of these people almost certainly are: http://www.greatveganathletes.com/strength