World's first lab-produced burger is unveiled

A laboratory-grown beefburger, created from the stem cells of a slaughtered cow, has been cooked and eaten in London today.

The 5oz (142g) patty, which cost £250,000 to produce, was served up by its creator - Professor Mark Post - before an invited audience.

Nutritional scientist Hanni Rutzler, one of the first people to taste the burger, said it tasted "close to meat" but was "not that juicy".

Food writer Josh Schonwald agreed that the texture had a "feel like meat".

The scientist behind the burger, Professor Mark Post, said the research for the laboratory-grown meat was vital to meet future demand for meat and resources:

Google co-founder Sergey Brin was revealed as one of the patrons behind the research.

The entrepreneur, who was featured in a promotional video for the event, said he supported the research because he was "not comfortable" with the way cows are traditionally treated.

'In vitro' meat is produced using muscle stem cells that are extracted from a cow.

These stem cells are then trained to 'bulk up' before being collected and frozen.

To give the meat the right taste and appearance, it is coloured red and flavours are added.

Read: How can beef be manufactured in a lab?

The animal welfare group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) welcomed the unveiling believing it will spell the end for lorries full of cows and chickens and abattoirs.

However the National Farmers' Union disagreed that the laboratory-produced meat was necessary to meet world demand, arguing that ordinary farmed beef is sustainable.

The lab-produced meat could even provide benefits for vegetarians.

The Vegeterian Society said it was "officially interested" in the possibility of lab-produced meat, but acknowledged that it did not yet know enough about the process to either welcome or condemn it.

However a poll on the charities website revealed that most vegetarians would still not eat the meat with some saying the meat had something "Frankenstein" about it.