Monday, February 20, 2012

Test Tube Food..do we really need it?

How do you make food sustainable?


http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/20/heston-blumenthals-207000-test-tube-burger-is-first-beef-patty-created-in-a-lab_n_1288365.html

I heard about this while watching TV and thought I know there is an issue with Food Security in the World but do we really need to do this or is there another way to change farming and growing practices or to educate people to be responsible for food and production of it?

I am worried that all this Food Tinkering will result in Human Tinkering and develop genetic mutations in humans in the future and not in a good way. How do we know if this will be good for humans until years of people consuming these things shows what the effects will be. Would you try this if you knew what it was? Do you think that eventually food producers will just convert all the food in the world to genetically modified or created food?

It has me a LOT worried about where are Food Sources are going and what we can do about it? Unless you live on a farm and grow all of your own food you have no control of your food sources so what can you do?
I met a family that only eat food that they grow on their property or they shop at local farmers stalls for organically produces meat and they avoid anything that is imported like Tropical fruits etc. Should we all switch to this model? Is it reasonable? They are a family of 3 with the husband working in a related industry and the wife working part time providing her the time to harvest and prepare all the food for the family. Their daughter is a teenager who helps out with the extra workload required by this process. But what is a single working mother with a young child to do? Is it realistic to expect people to have to go this far?

I live in an apartment in the city so it's not really possible for me to get LOCAL meat so do I become vegetarian? I plan to try and grow some things on my balcony in the spring but I don't know how successful I will be but I will attempt it this spring and see what the results will be. You have to ask yourself "What can I do'? to insure Food Safety?

That's the Big Question. Unfortunately I don't have all the answers needed but I don't think that creating hamburgers in a Test Tube is the answer either.

2 comments:

  1. Linda, There are many local meat sources in the city. There's a butcher shop in Kensington market (Sanagan's) that sells Ontario farm meats. There's also Rowes (eggs, meat) who have several stores around the city. You don't have to eat meat every day of the week. You can eat grains and beans which are cheaper and more filling and healthier more often and occasionally buy local cuts of meat for when you do want to switch it up.

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  2. I grew up having meat and something for dinner every night. I know I can swap for grains but it doesn't satisfy me the same way and doesn't have the variety that meat does unfortunately. I don't crave grains but I try and make them sometimes. Kensington market isn't exactly around the corner for me so it's not likely I would shop there often. Things will change when Whole Foods opens in North York. it's much easier to get a lot of things downtown right now but I hope things change. I know that Organic Garage is planning on opening a new store in Toronto but I don't know when.

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