Human-Based Gelatin on the Horizon
Scientists working at a university in Beijing have come up with a method for creating “large quantities of human-derived gelatin,” which could replace the thousands of tons of animal-based gelatin we use today for the wobbliest of our foods.
But what does this mean? Was Charlton Heston actually predicting the future in his schlocky sci-fi Soylent Green? Will JELL-O-lovers soon be cannibals?
Thankfully, no. Rather than rendering the bones of our fellow xman to get the human-based gelatin, the researchers injected human gelatin genes into yeast, which then, in their yeasty way, produced the gelatin. Which is still a little close for comfort, but the scientists insist this method has its virtues.
First of all, animal-based gelatin runs the risk of being infected with diseases like Mad Cow, and can sometimes provoke immune system responses in human eaters, so human-derived gelatin could be healthier and safer.
But also, we just make better jello! The researchers say that the human/yeast hybrid produces more stable gelatin than the animal-crushing method, and is more consistent in quality.
The scientists are planning on developing this for pharmaceutical applications first (think of all those gel-tabs), so we’re unlikely to be eating our own gelatin anytime soon. But if this did become the the norm for gelatin, do you think you’d be able to stomach the backstory behind your J-E-L-L-O?