1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: Hey brain Stuff, learn bog obamb Here in a new 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: world of impossible burghers and beyond meat, where eating cicada's 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: is considered an actual protein rich option and adopting a 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: plant based diet can be a legitimate choice. What do 6 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: we do with all those carnivores and omnivores sleeping on 7 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: the backs of our sofas and chasing squirrels around our backyards? 8 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: How do we ensure that what we feed our pets 9 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: is not only good for them a rich in protein 10 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: and all the nutrients needed to keep them healthy, but 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: good for our planet. To as many of us reduce 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: our meat intake or opt for more sustainable animal proteins, 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: could we do the same for our pets. For the 14 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: article this episode is based on how Stuff Works, spoke 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: with Greg Aldrich, a research associate professor and the coordinator 16 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: of the Pet Food Program in the Department of Grain 17 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: Science and Industry at Kansas State University. He said, it's 18 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: all doable. I can formulate a vegetarian diet for a dog. 19 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: I can make a vegan diet for a dog. It's 20 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: just a lot harder to get it all balanced and 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: then to get them to like it. The Pet Food 22 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: Institute estimates that more than a hundred and eighty million 23 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 1: dogs and cats are living in US households, and the 24 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: American Pet Products Association reports that Americans spent more than 25 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: forty two billion dollars on pet foods and treats in alone, 26 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: and all of that is rough on the planet. Paper 27 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: written by u c l A researcher Gregory Oakin found 28 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: that American dogs and cats are responsible, through the food 29 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: they eat, for the release of up to sixty four 30 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: million tons of harmful greenhouse gases each year. But it's 31 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: not as if we're feeding our pets big slabs of 32 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: Brontosaurus ribs and live chickens. Pet foods in the US 33 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: generally have plenty of grains included. Corn is in fact 34 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: the number one ingredient used overall in cat and dog foods, 35 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: according to the North American Renderers Association, but most pet 36 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: foods do have a huge animal component. The reason for 37 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,679 Speaker 1: that is simple. Dogs and cats and you and I 38 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: need protein, and eating meat or meat by products is 39 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: often the best, easiest and cheapest source of protein. Aldrich 40 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: said the dog is an omnivore like humans, eating both 41 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: plants and animals, but their nutritional requirements are such that 42 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: they're easier or better supported nutritionally if they consume animal 43 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: proteins and fats at least part of their diet. And 44 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: the cat we consider to be an obligate, meaning biological carnivore. 45 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: So what am I talking about there? Is it just 46 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: because we label them as carnivores, so thereby we have 47 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: to feed the meat. No, it really comes down to 48 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: some of their nutritional requirements, the metabolic utilization of things 49 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: like amino acids and fatty acids. The dogs and cats 50 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: all riches, saying don't necessarily need meat itself, but they 51 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: do need what's in it, and meat is easier for 52 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: them to digest. So how can we feed so many 53 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: animals who biologically need meat or at least are more 54 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: easily or better fed with meat when the production of 55 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: that meat can be both harmful to the planet and 56 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: to some, especially in the case of industrial farming, morally objectionable. 57 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: It's science to the rescue. Let's talk about cell cultured meat. 58 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: Take for example, Bond Pet Foods, a pet food company 59 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: in Boulder, Colorado that late announced that had produced the 60 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: world's first quote animal free chicken protein to using pet foods. 61 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: Bond took a blood sample from a live chicken, extracted 62 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: the genetic code, then inserted it into the genetic code 63 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: of some food grain yeats. These modified yeast, grown in 64 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: a fermentation tank, according to Bond, Quote, churns out meat 65 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: proteins that are identical to those typically produced on farm 66 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: and field. It's a similar fermentation process that's been used 67 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: for half a century to make enzymes for cheese, but 68 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: Bond is reassembling the process to harvest high quality animal proteins. 69 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: The process produces cell cultured meat, which is basically lab 70 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: manufactured meat without the need or mess of raising and 71 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: killing animals on farms, and Bond is not the only 72 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: company experimenting with it. Another called Because Animals, is using 73 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: a relatively similar process which harvests cells it grows them 74 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: into tissue that can then be used in treats and 75 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: foods for pets. A new era of pet foods made 76 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: with reduced environmental impact, more sustainability, and more responsibility is 77 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: hardly just around the corner, though this new way of 78 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,799 Speaker 1: feeding the household pet is going to take some time. 79 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: The science, for as far as it's advanced, is not 80 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: quite big time yet. For one, manufacturers will have to 81 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: work out the best ways to ramp up the process. 82 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: Large amounts of animal based material, blood or tissue or 83 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: whatever might still be needed, at least initially. Aldridge said, 84 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 1: whether or not they have got to where they can 85 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 1: take it to scale, so instead of making a couple 86 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: of grahams making a million pounds, I don't know if 87 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,919 Speaker 1: they've got that all worked out. Yet another question to 88 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: be answered, and not an insignificant one. Once this cultured 89 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: meat is produced, will your pets eat it? Will they 90 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: like it? And furthermore, companies will have to educate the public, 91 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: which may be picky about what goes into Fido's dish. 92 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 1: They may have to overcome environmentalists and animal rights backers 93 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: who may object still to the use of blood or 94 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: other animal material that makes the base of the new food. 95 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: They'll undoubtedly face stiff competition, as even the big pet 96 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: food makers jockey for position in a market in which good, 97 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: affordable protein is increasingly difficult to come by. The new 98 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: guys will have to make their product affordable. But even 99 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: though this new cell cultured product might not be taking 100 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: over the pet food aisle at your local big box 101 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: store anytime soon. The desire for options in meat, more humane, 102 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: sustainable options is clearly there. Aldrich said it could be 103 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: a viable niche in the marketplace in the next five 104 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: to ten years. As long as we have what is it, 105 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: a hundred and eighty million dogs and cats in the US, 106 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: there's going to be demand for proteins, So any additional 107 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: supply of protein is going to help. Whether or not 108 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: that cell cultured meat becomes mainstream is probably going to 109 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: be a ways away. Today's episode is based on the 110 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 1: article how lab grown meat could change the pet food 111 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: world on how stuff works dot com, written by John Donovan. 112 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: Brain Stuff is product of iHeart Radio in partnership with 113 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: hous neffworks dot com, and it's produced by Tyler Clay. 114 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: Four more podcasts from my heart Radio visit the iHeart 115 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 116 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: favorite shows.