Lab-grown meat: Molecular gastronomy or just frankenfood?

The laboratory-reared meat set to be eaten by experts soon, looks set to add a new dimension to the school of cuisine called molecular gastronomy.

While diners may have justifiably gasped in awe at the genre's trademark disconnection of food from sensual preconceptions of texture, form and taste, science portends to debut the ultimate sleight of hand-non-animal meat.

Flavour notwithstanding, for some this cultured meat is the stuff of science fiction nightmares rather than the dawn of non-cruel non-vegetarianism , as it is flesh without form, so to speak.

Indeed, given its genesis, there may be hurdles in the way of it being called meat in the first place, instead of something more scientifically accurate if not elegant, such as 'animal protein alternative'.

Those who fear the imminent onslaught of frankenfood, however, can breathe easy for a while as the current amount of 'in-vitro meat' produced - enough to make a burger - cost a whopping $325,000, so it is not likely to take over the market any time soon. Nor is it certain that the production of this kind of 'meat' will be more environment and energyfriendly than the conventional one.

However, as the rising demand for meat is driving this current line of research, scientists could instead consider fashioning, say, a plant protein that mimics that same taste.