# If we had the technology to grow meat in vats, would you eat it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 23, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327 "2009-12-23T15:49:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/61 "2009-12-24T18:17:32Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > That becomes an interesting thought experiment. If Porq isn’t really porcine, us it kosher? Likewise, would Indians have a problem with Beeph? For the kosher rules, there’s also a question of whether eating vat-grown meat would be considered eating a limb cut off from a living animal. That’s forbidden, even if the animal in question is a kosher animal. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/62 "2009-12-24T18:39:29Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > \ > You know what, forget the technical minutiae for the moment…what _kinds_ of vat meat can I get? Maybe cruelty-free Elephant? Or Thylacine? Or…human? > > If the last one’s an option, how much would it set me back to get a sample of my _own_—what? What’s everyone looking at me for? Like you all wouldn’t at least be CURIOUS. “Mmmm, this Carrier Pigeon is _divine_ - have you tried the Pterodactyl?” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/63 "2009-12-24T19:26:38Z")
I would, assuming that it tastes good and has an advantage over regular meat in terms of price and/or environmental impact. If it meets all three of those criteria, I would prefer it over regular meat. I have no qualms about killing animals for food, so environmental impact is the most important factor to me. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/64 "2009-12-24T20:47:17Z")
Wow … the vote so far is 139 yes, 12 no. I think it’s surprising, considering the numbers would be reversed if the question was “Would you ever eat at Applebee’s?” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/65 "2009-12-24T21:18:03Z")
Well, it could be served by vat-grown waiters. > [@](#): > > It could easily use much less, depending on technique. The natural method is extremely inefficient; it takes a lot of plant matter to make a pound of meat. This. Vat-grown meat wouldn’t require roughage, among other things. That would reduce the volume, weight and cost of food sources by as much as 90%. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/66 "2009-12-25T00:28:15Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Wow .. the vote so far is 139 yes, 12 no. I think it’s surprising, considering the numbers would be reversed if the question was “Would you ever eat at Applebee’s?” No kidding! Most overrated chain restaurant ever and my family constantly wants to go there. As for meat grown in a vat, hell yes. I know how hot dogs are made and I don’t care, they taste good. Take a look at the ingredients in “potted meat product” sometime. :eek: I still like it on a sandwich though. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/67 "2009-12-25T00:54:36Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’d eat bugs if they came in hotdogs or burgers. Well, then I’ve got good news for you … ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/68 "2009-12-25T02:26:25Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Wow .. the vote so far is 139 yes, 12 no. I think it’s surprising, considering the numbers would be reversed if the question was “Would you ever eat at Applebee’s?” Funnily enough, the “steak” at Applebees does seem like vat-grown meat to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/69 "2009-12-25T07:56:09Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Well, then I’ve got good news for you … Insect burgers? _Repulsive_…at least settle for a nice [little drumstick](http://www.animalsandearth.com/view/1891) if you have any respect for cuisine! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/70 "2009-12-25T22:14:43Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > You know way too much about where meat comes from to be a true New Yorker. Line up for indoctrination, citizen. I assume that line starts at Peter Lugers? The GF and I rented Food, Inc. the other day.😉 Actually, for all intents and purposes, McDonald’s hamburgers are practically vat-grown meat. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/71 "2009-12-25T22:39:05Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Iand I might not eagerly dive into a huge slab of vat loaf Ha! You’ve never tasted **my** mom’s vat-loaf! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327/72 "2009-12-26T13:39:19Z")
BACON! BACON! By the kiloton, on an assembly line basis!🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-the-technology-to-grow-meat-in-vats-would-you-eat-it/522327.md?page=3)