Steak Made from Human Excrement: Is It Safe?
The mere idea is stomach-churning: creating food from human feces.
But researchers in Japan say they have done just that. They have synthesized meat from proteins found in human waste, according to news reports.
While the concept of chowing down on steak derived from poop may not exactly be appetizing, we wondered: is this meat safe?
In theory, yes, experts say. But the meat must be cooked, which will kill any noxious pathogens before you eat it.
“In the food safety world we say, ‘don’t eat poop,’” said Douglas Powell, a professor of food safety at Kansas State University. “But if you’re going to, make sure it’s cooked.”
The Japanese researchers isolated proteins from bacteria in sewage. The poop-meat concoction is prepared by extracting the basic elements of food — protein, carbohydrates and fats — and recombining them.
The meat is made from 63 percent proteins, 25 percent carbohydrates, 3 percent lipids and 9 percent minerals, according to Digital Trends. Soy protein is added to the mix to increase the flavor, and food coloring is used to make the product appear red.
The researchers came up with the idea after Tokyo Sewage asked them to figure out a use for the abundance of sewage in mud, Digital Trends says.
