'Franken-food' stirs debate, but restaurants are adopting this innovative idea to unlock new flavours
There has been considerable controversy since the public got wind of lab-grown food as a potential solution to the environmental issues brought on by raising livestock
From a purely emotional standpoint, science and cooking may seem strange bedfellows, but experts are proving that bringing science into the kitchen doesn't necessarily mean that you have to take the soul out of it.
The culinary world lost one of its most creative minds last month when chef Homaro Cantu, of the Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant Moto and its sibling iNG, committed suicide. Cantu was instrumental in challenging diners with innovative cooking techniques, which ranged from laser-zapped dishes to edible menus.
Cantu had often referred to himself as a scientist at heart, and his culinary creations pushed the envelope of what could be done with food, encouraging diners to keep an open mind about more unusual food preparation techniques - something that sparks ready debate among gourmands.
There has been considerable controversy since the public got wind of lab-grown food as a potential solution to the environmental issues brought on by raising livestock. Entrepreneurs have been exploring alternatives to mass-produced animal products - in a lab.
According to an article in The Guardian, a company in the United States is developing lab-grown milk produce without any help from a cow - they use genetically modified yeast to churn out the milk proteins.
Industry insiders say that these milk products could hit the shelves as early as next year and that lab grown meat will be available within the next five to seven years.
In an interview with The Associated Press in 2006, Cantu explored the question of what, in fact, was the essence of food. "There's a fine line between real and synthetic," he said. "Real is something that occurs in nature. Synthetic is something that does not. But what if you re-create something on a molecular level that's exact to something that's real? Does it become synthetic, or is it real?"
Opinions are certainly divided on the concept of "Franken-food", as it is sometimes known, but some fine dining restaurants have shown there are ways to bring science into food preparation without alienating diners.
