Willis recently wrote about The Long View of Feeding the Planet and all I can say about this idea below is that it is too long wrong. But, this is exactly the sort of thing that some wacky eco-types would see as part of a “sustainable future”. Even Soylent Green sounds better.
From Digital Trends
It’s being called the “poop burger”. Japanese scientists have found a way to create artificial meat from sewage containing human feces.
Somehow this feels like a Vonnegut plotline: population boom equals food shortage. Solution? Synthesize food from human waste matter. Absurd yes, but Japanese scientists have actually discovered a way to create edible steaks from human feces.
Mitsuyuki Ikeda, a researcher from the Okayama Laboratory, has developed steaks based on proteins from human excrement. Tokyo Sewage approached the scientist because of an overabundance of sewage mud. They asked him to explore the possible uses of the sewage and Ikeda found that the mud contained a great deal of protein because of all the bacteria.
h/t (I think) to WUWT reader “Ray”
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I love the engrish “SHIT BURGER” label on the refrigerator.
And there is no global food crisis and never will be, barring an apocalyptic event that destroys global industry. The current food system is grossly inefficient by design. Most food is grown for luxury, not for it’s nutritive value. Simply consider the extreme costs per unit of utility of apples, lettuce and tomatoes compared to the efficient production of macronutrients by corn, soybeans and wheat. If a real crisis hits, stop putting 100 lbs of nitrogen on an acre of land to grow lettuce which is mostly water and fiber, and plant some corn instead. Then pasture some cows on the stover.
That is so appalling it colors everything Japanese, eewwww. If I were Japanese government, I would squelch these bozos big time, before they do irrepairable harm to Japan’s image.
customer: “waiter, this coffee tastes like mud!”
waiter: “well sir, it was ground this morning.”
customer “…and about this steak…!!”
*rim shot*
Nobody tell Bear Grylls – he’ll be in there like a shot!
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bear-grylls-better-drink-my-own-piss#.TfsvRFv-zAk
>>>
Pete in Cumbria UK says:
June 17, 2011 at 1:59 am
@ur momisugly Ian E..
I do hope you missed the the sarc tag on that – remember what happened here in the UK when animal protein (bovine cow) was fed back to the same animals that produced it (bovine cows)
If you really don’t know, look up “BSE”
regards
A UK cow farmer
<<<
This is BACTERIAL proteins that we are talking about !!!!!
Next they will be recycling alcohol.
Going viral.
Kyoto Burgers
I think Kate at SDA would probably file this under “Not waiting for the asteroid”.
The pointing stick he uses is a touch of class.
Hey, when the big chill comes, it may be the only recourse. I’m betting on finding a way to eat windmills…
And some people wonder why I’m a vegetarian!
I only plant my stuff in manure, I don’t mix it in the stuff after I’ve harvested it.
You are what you eat.
Japanese scientists have actually discovered a way to create edible steaks from human feces …
… for some definitions of edible.
On the other hand, for centuries we have been eating rice and other foodstuffs raised in ponds full of “night soil.”
Brings a whole new meaning to the term “Sh*t Sandwich”.
Ohhhhhh yummy!
I really hope this is a spoof! I see all the jokes have been made in the above comments so I’ll refrain from humor. My first thought though is that even though the protein bacteria will have been killed by the manufacturing process there is still a danger of heavy metal contamination/build up. For that reason composted human waste is not allowed to enter the food chain, even as a fertiliser to vegetable crops, so I don’t see this as a good idea at all!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_soil
it seems though, that the re-cycling of solid human waste is still a common practice in parts of Japan, so perhaps this is not a spoof after all!
A metaphor for CAGW science.
Totally reminds me of an Yes Men hoax from 2007 or so:
With the amount of crap Al Gore spews not only should he be self sufficient, he should also be able to feed a small nation.
For the squeamish amongst us, please realize that feeding feces to our beef cattle is a long-standing practice, specifically poultry litter: http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G2077
Making “meat” out of human fecal material is more than disgusting; however, some cattle operations have been cited for feeding human sewage to beef cattle. When I lived & worked in the UK (during the BSE cull), I remember hearing of this practice in France:
http://www.mad-cow.org/oct99_vlate_news.html
It’s all about the money, folks. Although such proteins will never pass muster from the USFDA nor USDA for human consumption, don’t be surprised if these end up on your dinner plate in some other form.
My dog is here reading this with me with drool coming out of both sides of his mouth.
Want flies with that?
REPLY: LOL! Quite possibly the most simultaneously disgusting, politically incorrect, and hilarious comment I have ever seen. Truly a poop de grace. – Anthony
My youngest son & I have gastro-enteritis & it’s no bloody fun. I caught it in during a two day sojourn in hospital for diagnosis of double pneumonia plus pleurisy, after which I was discharged on Wednesday with a 10 day supply of antibiotics. Now, on Friday, he’s got it & I’m mopping up. So how do these clever chappies plan to cope with the toxins in our outpourings eh?
Perry
No way I’m eating a Crappy MealTM, with or without the flies. Yeah, I know (as someone said above) protein is protein, regardless of its history, but I just couldn’t do it. I’d sooner eat cat than scat.