News
New California lab focused on plant-based meat alternatives
A new lab is being launched at the University of California in Berkley aimed at concocting plant-based meat alternatives.
A university course associated with the lab will feature experts discussing the alternative meat industry.
Course designer Christie Lagally tells Brownfield she hasn’t received feedback specifically from those in animal agriculture, “but, in other parts of my work I’ve certainly heard the concerns of cattle farmers and other people who are impacted by the changes in the American and worldwide diet to reduce meat.”
The food system is changing, according to Lagally. “It’s changing one way or the other, whether it be pressured by consumers, or pressured by the environment and a lack of water,” she said, “or even by pandemics of bird flu.”
An article in the student-run Daily Californian says funds will be provided for students to develop alternative meat products to present to industry experts by the end of the course.
AUDIO: Christie Lagally (14 min. MP3)
Several companies already make faux meat products and have for as long as I can remember. Nothing tastes like a good grass fed steak! I think it is amusing that Ca is attempting to pass laws restricting how food animals can be raised and treated that are contrary to good animal husbandry principles. These laws propose to limit the sale within the state of products produced outside of the Ca that don’t fit the standards. It is as if Ca expects the rest of the country to become vegans.