Dutch scientists developing first lab-grown hamburger

William Atkins
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 23:28

Science - Biology

By the end of 2012, Dutch scientists hope to have developed the world's first hamburger grown entirely in a laboratory, what could be called the lab-burger.

Dutch physiologist Mark Post (the chair of the Department of Physiology at Maastricht University and the vice dean of Biomedical Technology, in the Netherlands) is the chief (or is that chef) researcher on this beefy project.

The recipe for this lab-burger begins with bovine stem cells that are grown in a vat.

Over time, they develop into layers of beef muscle cells, which are now (as they grow) pinkish-yellow in color and semi-transparent.

Then, these layers are cut up and mixed with animal fat, which is also grown in the laboratory.

The concoction is then rolled into a ball, ready to be made into an artifical hamburger. I wonder if the catsup and mustard will be artifically made, too?

Upon the completion of this synthetic beef patty, British experimental chef Heston Blumenthal (Fat Duck restaurant) will cook it all up into a hamburger.

So far, the project has cost US$330,000 (250,000-euro), which has been provided by an anonymous investor who hopes to develop 'life-transforming technologies.'

The main purpose of this project is to, in the future (maybe as soon as 10 years) substitute hamburger made from cattle with this synthesized version in order to minimize the negative impact to the environment from raising domesticated animals such as cattle.

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