Skip to main content

Fake Meat – Science at Warp Speed


Fake meat has stormed the country.  Many celebrate the vegetable protein based products for climate, for nutrition, and for reduction of meat consumption.  The beef industry clearly hates this, and only now are developing their talking points.
Testing to scale always reveals the nooks and crannies of risk. So, what’s coming for fake meat?  Here’s the shortlist.
  • Too much sodium –  the old standby
  • Variety – more and more variations of fake meat will be developed.  Expect less expensive products using more plentiful vegetable proteins.
  • Chemistry – what new chemicals are used; what old chemicals are used to excess; how do these chemicals interact?
  • Allergies – it is a certainty that allergies will be discovered supporting unusual affectations
  • Headaches – every new item on the menu causes headaches in many.  They’re coming.
  • Digestion problems – many, probably thousands will endure digestive problems due to overconsumption.
  • Cancer – certain digestive tract cancers will be correlated with fake meat consumption.
  • Hybrids – clearly some grocers will combine the fake with the real, and who on earth knows how they will interact. Needing a name: semi-fake meat, mostly meat, …?
  • DYI – soon we’ll see recipes for home-brew fake meats. E.g. two cups crushed soy beans, two tbs Worcester, 3tbs salt, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup liquid smoke, …

Within a year, we will see the first expose of why it’s bad, or maybe why it’s good. Science is slow and often grossly inaccurate. But it gets there. In the meantime, we’ll have fake fish, fake chicken, and fake pork.  Watch out on the latter.  China may not need USA pork imports anymore, just more soybeans. Yes, international trade will also be affected. Try fake meat on 1.4 billion folks, and you’ll see it all.
Within two years, we’ll see regulations aplenty, consumption guidelines aplenty, and cautionary labels on all packaging.
Attention:
  • Nutritionists: design your tests and get your grant proposals ready
  • Doctors: get ready for strange new problems
  • Professors: there’s a book in all this, plus grants, plus conference talks.
  • ER docs: get ready for unexplained anaphylactic shock cases; tune up those stomach pumps
  • Hospitals: get your lawyers involved.

----------------------
P.S. I’ve tried the meatless burger. It’s ok. It’s taste is comparable with the real thing, but not quite. But with catsup and condiments applied generously, you can’t tell the difference. Order with fries.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please Comment.

Popular posts from this blog

UNCERTAINTY IS CERTAIN

  Uncertainty is Certain G. Donald Allen 12/12/2024 1.       Introduction . This short essay is about uncertainty in people from both secular and nonsecular viewpoints. One point that will emerge is that randomly based uncertainty can be a driver for religious structure. Many groups facing uncertainty about their future are deeply religious or rely on faith as a source of comfort, resilience, and guidance. The intersection of uncertainty and religiosity often stems from the human need to find meaning, hope, and stability in the face of unpredictable or challenging circumstances. We first take up the connections of uncertainty to religion for the first real profession, farming, noting that hunting has many similar uncertainties. Below are groups that commonly lean on religious beliefs amidst uncertainty.   This short essay is a follow-up to a previous piece on certainty (https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2024/12/certainty-is-also-emotion.html). U...
Post a Comment
Read more

CERTAINTY IS ALSO AN EMOTION

  Certainty is also a Feeling Certainty is often viewed as a mental state tied to knowledge and confidence, but it also functions as a feeling with distinct emotional and physiological components. While it arises from cognitive processes, certainty also has a subjective and emotional quality that makes it more than just a rational judgment. It provides a sense of assurance and security that shapes human experience in profound ways. Emotional Dimension . At its core, certainty evokes emotions that influence how we perceive and interact with the world. When someone feels certain, they often experience relief, comfort, or empowerment. These emotions are particularly strong when uncertainty or doubt is resolved, offering a sense of closure. For example, solving a complex problem or having a belief validated by evidence brings not just intellectual satisfaction but also emotional reassurance. Subjectivity. Certainty is inherently personal and subjective. It depends on individual...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lies, Deceit, and the National Agenda

The world you grew up in is no more.  The world of reasonable honesty and reasonable lies has been replaced by abject dishonesty and blatant lies. Lies.  Yes. People have always told them.  You have told them; so have I.   We need lies; they are a foundational structure of social living.  They both deceive and protect.  Children tell them to their parents to avoid consequences, like punishment.  Adults tell them to their bosses, to enhance their position and/or avoid consequences of poor performance.  Our bosses tell them to their boards to suggest business is good, the project is on target, or the detractors are wrong.  The boards tell them to shareholders to protect their own credibility and most importantly, stock values.   Our politicians tell lies to their constituents, though sometimes innocently with them not actually knowing much more than they've been told.  They enhance their positio...
2 comments
Read more