The latest issue of Tissue Engineering discusses two tissue engineering techniques that could lead to the affordable, in vitro production of meat for human consumption.

While vat-grown organs have long been a staple of science fiction, and vat produced food has been featured in at least one science fiction movie, the TE paper is the first peer-reviewed to discuss the prospects of industrial production of cultured meat.

Marginal Revolution (who I found via Kottke.org ) points out that the animal welfare movement will explode once industrial production becomes viable. He also wonders, “What do you call a meat eater who doesn’t eat animals?” and is running a contest for the best suggestions. How about nomnivore?

New Harvest is the name (and a good one at that) of the non-profit set up to commercialize the new technologies.

The Tissue Engineering .pdf downloads here.