# Japanese Researcher turns Human Feces into an Edible Burger



## IBNobody (Jun 19, 2011)

So...... Who's up for a poop burger?!?

http://www.digitaltrends.com/international...t-out-of-feces/

At first, I thought this was a hoax. (There was a group of political activists ("Yes Men") who played a prank on a college class with related material.) But then I started reading.

Excerpt...



			
				QUOTE said:
			
		

> Somehow this feels like a Vonnegut plotline: population boom equals food shortage. Solution? Synthesize food from human waste matter. Absurd yes, but Japanese scientists have actually discovered a way to create edible steaks from human feces.
> 
> Mitsuyuki Ikeda, a researcher from the Okayama Laboratory, has developed steaks based on proteins from human excrement. Tokyo Sewage approached the scientist because of an overabundance of sewage mud. They asked him to explore the possible uses of the sewage and Ikeda found that the mud contained a great deal of protein because of all the bacteria.
> 
> ...



So, if you're a die-hard tree-hugger, are you willing to eat shit for your cause?

EDIT: Added the video...


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## Tonitonichopchop (Jun 19, 2011)

I was seriously watching a video on this exact subject a minute ago.


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## _Chaz_ (Jun 19, 2011)

...


Japan... why?


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## IBNobody (Jun 19, 2011)

Tonitonichopchop said:
			
		

> I was seriously watching a video on this exact subject a minute ago.



I love in the video that they never show the professor eating the meat. The only thing they show is him squatting in the bathroom. They show other people eating it, though. Maybe they were interns or lab assistants.

I know that if I were developing meat based on human feces, I'd be doubly sure to have a lab assistant or unwitting colleague have the first sample.


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## Guild McCommunist (Jun 19, 2011)

And people ask why I'm a vegetarian.


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## KingVamp (Jun 19, 2011)

The thought that cross my mind was it going to be "turn into fuel"...,but it was much worst.




			
				Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

> And people ask why I'm a vegetarian.


um... artificial meat... 

Unless you don't eat artificial burgers... 

They probably could make artificial plants.


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## Slyakin (Jun 19, 2011)

I can't even believe what I just saw.



Spoiler



;O;



I'm glad I'm vegetarian.


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## The Catboy (Jun 19, 2011)

And just like that I'm now a vegetarian.


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## Buleste (Jun 19, 2011)

What's the news in this Maccy D's has been serving s**t burgers for years. Oh I see. The news is it's now edible. I get it now.


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## Veho (Jun 19, 2011)

Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

> And people ask why I'm a vegetarian.
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Joke's on you, these burgers are vegetarian-friendly


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

Old news is old, strange how as soon as Bill Maher mentions it it's all over the web though. But this is very promising tech for space exploration. Just think, those guys have already had to get over the fact they drink their own piss, sweat, and the moisture from the air they breath.

EDIT: Vegetarians, how is this different from eating veg though? That's only one step away from shit.

EDIT the second: Ninja'd by BlueStar


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## BlueStar (Jun 19, 2011)

Buleste said:
			
		

> What's the news in this Maccy D's has been serving s**t burgers for years. Oh I see. The news is it's now edible. I get it now.



It's hardly fine dining, but there's nothing in McDonald's burgers apart from beef.

Anyway, why are people talking about being a vegetarian on the basis of this?  Would it actually contain meat?  Did an animal die to make it?  No.  And what are vegetables grown in? Shit.  Unless you feel like eating bacteria is murder, but then I'd guess you eat lots of harmless bacteria everytime you eat a carrot.


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## Veho (Jun 19, 2011)

cwstjdenobs said:
			
		

> Just think, those guys have already had to get over the fact they drink their own piss, sweat, and the moisture from the air they breath.





Spoiler



I don't see a problem there.


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## The Catboy (Jun 19, 2011)

Veho said:
			
		

> Guild McCommunist said:
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I honestly don't see how eating shit could be friendly to anyone


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## Guild McCommunist (Jun 19, 2011)

BlueStar said:
			
		

> Anyway, why are people talking about being a vegetarian on the basis of this?  Would it actually contain meat?  Did an animal die to make it?  No.  And what are vegetables grown in? Shit.



You may want to read this.

But I'm still sticking to my Morning Star Farms and Boca burgers (except for the black bean burgers, those bastards are delicious but give me a major case of the runs).


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## BlueStar (Jun 19, 2011)

I thought humour was supposed to be funny, or at least make sense?  You'll have to point it out in future.


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

> But I'm still sticking to my Morning Star Farms and Boca burgers (except for the black bean burgers, those bastards are delicious but give me a major case of the runs).




Off-topic and sorry, but this has always bothered me. If you are a vegetarian or vegan why eat imitation meat products at all?


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## The Catboy (Jun 19, 2011)

cwstjdenobs said:
			
		

> Guild McCommunist said:
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Even though this is more directed towards Guild, I just want to say that I am actually allergic to most meat and it makes me violently ill if I eat it, so I am not a vegetarian by choice.


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## Guild McCommunist (Jun 19, 2011)

cwstjdenobs said:
			
		

> Off-topic and sorry, but this has always bothered me. If you are a vegetarian or vegan why eat imitation meat products at all?



Because they taste good? I don't eat meat for moral reasons, not because I don't like the taste (well, I've never had meat to begin with so I don't know what it tastes like).


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## _Chaz_ (Jun 19, 2011)

cwstjdenobs said:
			
		

> Guild McCommunist said:
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I agree with this. Vegetarians normally stand to make a point, eating food inspired by and designed to get the closest to the death and consumption of animals just seems hypocritical to the worst degree.


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## Guild McCommunist (Jun 19, 2011)

_Chaz_ said:
			
		

> I agree with this. Vegetarians normally stand to make a point, eating food inspired by and designed to get the closest to the death and consumption of animals just seems hypocritical to the worst degree.



Not really. As long as you don't eat meat you make your point. You're effectively boycotting the meat industry and what it stands for and boycotting whatever you find ethically wrong with it. I don't really see anything hypocritical about it. If I said "MEAT IS MURDER" and threw red paint on people after I had a nice meal at McDonald's that'd be hypocritical.


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## notmeanymore (Jun 19, 2011)

Time to take "eat shit and die" more literally.

I think I'd be one of those brave souls to try it first.


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

@AGLCB, Yeah, I know a couple of people like that, but I don't really count them as veggies, more herbivores. That's your natural diet and not a choice.

@Guild. Thanks for the honesty. The only answer I've had before is lack of choice, which seeing as I can cook sounds like complete BS.



			
				Veho said:
			
		

> cwstjdenobs said:
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Lol, but I was basically saying that if it works well, it will be accepted there first. And normal people will get over it in the long run. Especially when you think there's probably not an atom you've ever eaten that hasn't being something else's poo a few times. And every drop of water you drink has probably being through a lot of human bladders by now, let alone the rest of life.


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## Raika (Jun 19, 2011)

GODDAMMIT what the fuck did I just watch? It literally cringed IRL when the professor dude ate the burger.


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## NiGHtS (Jun 19, 2011)

Vege ftw !


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## Sausage Head (Jun 19, 2011)

mcdonalds did it first


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## Fat D (Jun 19, 2011)

I think we have an Ig-Nobel prize winner right here.


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## Vulpes Abnocto (Jun 19, 2011)

I was wondering how long it would take for this news to hit GBAtemp.
Two pages in and all the best jokes have been told.....mostly by Veho....

Of all the things that could be done with fecal matter, I seriously doubt "Food" would have been my application of it.


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## granville (Jun 19, 2011)

I don't eat meat or any fake kind of meat. This story makes me very glad i don't. I'll get by on cheese and dairy. Until they start making THAT out of shit too that is. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I'm pro-enviro and all, but this takes recycling WAY too far imo. This will bring new meaning to "this food tastes like shit".


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

Vulpes Abnocto said:
			
		

> Of all the things that could be done with fecal matter, I seriously doubt "Food" would have been my application of it.



But you're a canid, I thought that would be your first idea TBH.

EDIT:Semantics fail.


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## firetempest (Jun 19, 2011)

Gives new meaning to the phrase eat shit. _*snip_ Enough of the bad puns.


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## whoomph (Jun 19, 2011)

This thread has prompted me to watch 'Soylent Green' for the first time in years. Can't think why


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## granville (Jun 19, 2011)

I guess a few good questions are in order-

1- who is going to buy a "Morning Star Shit Burger" when they see it instores?
2- when listing the ingredients, what will the shit be called? Shit? Stool protein? Homosapien digest? MBS (might be shit)? Brown #5?
3- will ANYONE who actually has some semblance of sanity willingly eat this stuff knowing exactly what it is?


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## whoomph (Jun 19, 2011)

granville said:
			
		

> 2- when listing the ingredients, what will the shit be called? Shit? Stool protein? Homosapien digest? MBS (might be shit)?


Soylent Brown?


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## lordrand11 (Jun 19, 2011)

A Gay Little Catboy said:
			
		

> And just like that I'm now a vegetarian.



But this is a burger for vegetarians. You'd probably enjoy it. I also wonder if the people who ate it for "science" knew what it was before the big bite.


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## Vulpes Abnocto (Jun 19, 2011)

I wonder what sort of pretty name will be given to this "meat" to make it more palatable.


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## The Catboy (Jun 19, 2011)

lordrand11 said:
			
		

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That was more of a joke than a serious statement, I am pretty already a vegetation, but that's not by my choice nor really on topic.


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## chris888222 (Jun 19, 2011)

Wait... I really can't believe it.


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

granville said:
			
		

> I guess a few good questions are in order-
> 
> 1- who is going to buy a "Morning Star Shit Burger" when they see it instores? *Not me, I'm waiting for the cultured muscle grown in vats. But my only problem with meat is factory/intensive farming.*
> 2- when listing the ingredients, what will the shit be called? Shit? Stool protein? Homosapien digest? MBS (might be shit)? Brown #5?*Probably something along the lines of Reconstituted Hominid Protein*
> 3- will ANYONE who actually has some semblance of sanity willingly eat this stuff knowing exactly what it is?*I'd have a go. And given the right encouragement I'd eat it all the time. Like say offer me a seat on the first trip to Mars*


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## MelodieOctavia (Jun 19, 2011)

Soylent Brown is people!!! (poop)


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## PeregrinFig (Jun 19, 2011)

I totally read that as "Human Faces". It's weird either way, but still.


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## chyyran (Jun 19, 2011)

Lol 1:34

Shit Burger


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## FAST6191 (Jun 19, 2011)

I have yet to see the video (my browser is in a bit of a shields up state right now) but my main question is what is the energy efficiency of this (I am reminded of the ages old thought experiments concerning irreversible reactions) and I am going to want to see some industrial scale plans drawn up and I should probably raise a question along the lines of what about the existing infrastructure that already uses such materials.


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## DC2000 (Jun 19, 2011)

A Gay Little Catboy said:
			
		

> And just like that I'm now a vegetarian.



Because you would love to try it? ^^

It would shurely doesnt taste that bad but thinking on what you eat would made it bad....   I wouldnt eat that.


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## _Chaz_ (Jun 19, 2011)

Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

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That'd be like me boycotting the movie industry and going out to play games based on those movies.
It doesn't work if you speak out against something, and then indulge in a result of that something.


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## JoostinOnline (Jun 19, 2011)

Get ready for "Two girls, one burger."


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## Vulpes Abnocto (Jun 19, 2011)

If people were to exist on a diet mainly made up of this....for lack of a better term: _reprocessed_ food,
and they were continually adding to the food pool. 
(okay, that's disgusting terminology) 
how long would it take for there to be absolutely no nutritional value in the 'meat'?


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## Phoenix Goddess (Jun 19, 2011)

Cannibalism before Poopalism.


"I'll have a McArm, thank you."
"Why a McArm instead of a McPoo burger? You look hungrier than I do. You keep it."

PeregrinFig: I read it as Human Faces, too.


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

Vulpes Abnocto said:
			
		

> If people were to exist on a diet mainly made up of this....for lack of a better term: _reprocessed_ food,
> and they were continually adding to the food pool.
> (okay, that's disgusting terminology)
> how long would it take for there to be absolutely no nutritional value in the 'meat'?



Nobody eats only meat though. And I bet you'd be adding more stomach lining and other stuff than you'd think.


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## rt141 (Jun 19, 2011)

Fay and gake, McDonalds did it first


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## Vulpes Abnocto (Jun 19, 2011)

cwstjdenobs said:
			
		

> Nobody eats only meat though. And I bet you'd be adding more stomach lining and other stuff than you'd think.



You've never met my dad. He shuns almost anything that grows in the ground on the basis "he doesn't eat rabbit food".
He exists on fried chicken and hamburgers. Don't really see how...or _why_ he does it. 

But you make a good (and further disgusting) point that I hadn't considered.


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## Guild McCommunist (Jun 19, 2011)

_Chaz_ said:
			
		

> That'd be like me boycotting the movie industry and going out to play games based on those movies.
> It doesn't work if you speak out against something, and then indulge in a result of that something.



That's not really a valid example. These "imitation meats" aren't a product of "animal slaughter" (for lack of a better word) which is what most moral vegetarians oppose.


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## chris888222 (Jun 19, 2011)

Vulpes Abnocto said:
			
		

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My gosh, exactly the same as my aunt. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I don't mind going vege, actually.


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## cwstjdenobs (Jun 19, 2011)

Vulpes Abnocto said:
			
		

> You've never met my dad. He shuns almost anything that grows in the ground on the basis "he doesn't eat rabbit food".
> He exists on fried chicken and hamburgers. Don't really see how...or _why_ he does it.
> 
> But you make a good (and further disgusting) point that I hadn't considered.



I've known people like. But I bet he has fries, bread, sugary stuff. And all drinks I can think of are plant based and still have some nutritional content, even if just barely.


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## Vulpes Abnocto (Jun 19, 2011)

@cwstjdenobs: True. Lots of fries, onion rings, Coca-cola, cheese.
Just nothing green.


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## _Chaz_ (Jun 19, 2011)

Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

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If it wasn't for the slaughter of animals, and use of said animals for much testing, the manufacturer wouldn't know what meat tasted like, been able to imitate it, or sell it as imitation meat.


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## SuperMarioMaster (Jun 19, 2011)

That's WORSE than soylent green!


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## gloweyjoey (Jun 19, 2011)

This seems like something you would see on The Onion.

I dunno, some things don't seem right, like the fridge labeled "SHIT BURGERS" in English.


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## machomuu (Jun 19, 2011)

So long as less animals have to die to feed the overindulgent animals that are humans, I'm fine with it.


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## Sterling (Jun 19, 2011)

I can see this taking off in a disaster area. Last resort type stuff. If what they say is true about the nutritional content, and the taste, then it shouldn't sit any different. If there's one thing the Human race is bad about it's the turned nose syndrome. We eat tons of shit every day, but as soon as we know what it is, we turn our noses up at it. Regardless of the benefits of the food.


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## thelover (Jun 19, 2011)

That would be a pr disaster. I can see the headline "Disaster victims forced to eat shit."


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## Sterling (Jun 19, 2011)

thelover said:
			
		

> That would be a pr disaster. I can see the headline "Disaster victims forced to eat shit."


Is that any different than today's misconstrued media and news?


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## Cuelhu (Jun 19, 2011)

JoostinOnline said:
			
		

> Get ready for "Two girls, one burger."


in the future scat will be the shit.


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## .Darky (Jun 19, 2011)

I don't know why, but as soon as I read the title the first thing that came to mind was McDonald's.


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## shakirmoledina (Jun 19, 2011)

lol after 1 min he showed a "lady's finger"
its not a bad idea at all actually. we will get used to it if the need arises to tht extent which i believe will


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## pistone (Jun 19, 2011)

Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

> And people ask why I'm a vegetarian.


so you are vegetarian coz
1.meat is like poo
2.you hate to ate living creatures

but
1.the vegetables have more probability to be infected by poo.......
2.do you know you are eating the animals food ?

p.s its a joke dot take this too seriously


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## m3rox (Jun 19, 2011)

I think this is awesome news.  It sure would help if we were traveling through space toward another homeworld, and ran low on food.


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## DiscostewSM (Jun 19, 2011)

Humans + Waste + Science = Sea Cucumber v2.0


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## reddick (Jun 19, 2011)

I can't wait to order a poo burger while going though the dive through in my car made of soybeans that runs on algae. Okay, yes it's possible to do really stupid things with technology, like making a poo burger that might not kill you. Will anyone buy it? No. Dose it have a niche use? Maye if you're on your way to Mars. All in all it's pretty stupid.


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## Deleted User (Jun 19, 2011)

wadafuiddip?
*What the _fuck_ is this?


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## VashTS (Jun 20, 2011)

@1:34 "shit burger" lol. really that is what the scientists are code naming this?


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## Pong20302000 (Jun 20, 2011)

lol people will buy for laughs and stag dues and partys etc

then they will discover there not bad

then they regulate and no one cares


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## em2241992 (Jun 20, 2011)

Is this stuff real?! This is creepy...and NASTY


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## nintendoom (Jun 20, 2011)

wtf 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



----sorry i'm speechless---


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## GeekyGuy (Jun 20, 2011)

"The turd burger."

So...Frank Herbert's Dune is essentially becoming a reality. One day, we'll all be wearing stillsuits.


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## Brian117 (Jun 20, 2011)

machomuu said:
			
		

> So long as less animals have to die to feed the overindulgent animals that are humans, I'm fine with it.



^ This times a million.

The idea of this is creative, and will probably be of some use in the distant future.


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## Sheimi (Jun 20, 2011)

o.o
I lost my appetite for a hamburger now. >_


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## Wintrale (Jun 20, 2011)

So we can finally, legitimately, say "this food looks/tastes like shit"?


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## Nujui (Jun 20, 2011)

Wintrale said:
			
		

> So we can finally, legitimately, say "this food looks/tastes like shit"?


Pretty much 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But anyway, I actually see some uses for this, and, against my better judgement (and by that I mean my stomach.) I would try it.


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## ShadowSoldier (Jun 20, 2011)

This is probably the grossest thing that I have ever heard of a researcher doing.

Fuck that, if I want to eat a cow, I'm going to eat a cow. If I want to eat a pig, I'm going to bloody well eat a pig. And if I want to eat at McDonalds with their godly food, I'm going to eat there.

Animals wouldn't think twice about eating us if they were dying, there's no reason why we can't eat them as well.


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## Ikki (Jun 20, 2011)

This made me remember the story of a friend's cousin who took some shit from his own ass with his finger and then licked it.


I'm kinda curious. As long as it doesn't actually taste like shit, I'm all over it.


Edit: Taste like shit smells* I haven't tasted shit just yet.


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## machomuu (Jun 20, 2011)

ShadowSoldier said:
			
		

> This is probably the grossest thing that I have ever heard of a researcher doing.
> 
> Fuck that, if I want to eat a cow, I'm going to eat a cow. If I want to eat a pig, I'm going to bloody well eat a pig. And if I want to eat at McDonalds with their godly food, I'm going to eat there.
> 
> Animals wouldn't think twice about eating us if they were dying, there's no reason why we can't eat them as well.


Uh, we are animals.  (I want to start a debate about the last statement, but I'll hold back, just this once.)

Besides, you act like they're forcing you to eat it.


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## Bladexdsl (Jun 20, 2011)

1st breast milk from cows now this is there anything japan won't fucking do?!??!! Were not dogs we don't eat our own shit!!!!


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## stanleyopar2000 (Jun 20, 2011)

EAT SHIT (and still die?)


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## s4mid4re (Jun 20, 2011)

Bladexdsl said:
			
		

> 1st breast milk from cows now this is there anything japan won't fucking do?!??!! Were not dogs we don't eat our own shit!!!!


breast milk from cows was China, IIRC.


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## whoomph (Jun 20, 2011)

GeekyGuy said:
			
		

> "The turd burger."
> 
> So...Frank Herbert's Dune is essentially becoming a reality. One day, we'll all be wearing stillsuits.


People - please stop mentioning films I have to rewatch haha. Dune kicks ass.

All joking aside, Soylent Green is set in 2022 so not long until we're all eating....


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## Bladexdsl (Jun 20, 2011)

s4mid4re said:
			
		

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same shit different bucket


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## Hydreigon (Jun 20, 2011)

A great accompaniment to this would be urine! o_o

...Now I won't be eating burgers for weeks.


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## Ron457x2 (Jun 20, 2011)

japan..... seriously...
Y U NO EAT REGULAR FOOD!!?
Statement aside, I really do think this is nasty, but without people knowing, it could work as a placebo.
Just the thought of it churns my stomach.


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## s4mid4re (Jun 20, 2011)

I don't get why people are getting so skeptical about this. Yes, most of it does come from shit, but it's not shit - it's protein _extracted_ from shit + some more additives. I would actually consider this if the price lowers to what regular meat costs. But, how a person interprets something varies per person; this is just my opinion. I've no intentions of starting a flame war, just because of shit. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I guess most of you guys didn't read the article or watched the video, and jumped into conclusion that this was plain shit with meat flavoring. :/


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## dgwillia (Jun 20, 2011)

Everything is nice and fine until someone finds a corn in thier burger


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## Yumi (Jun 20, 2011)

looks healthier than mcdonalds.


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## Zerousen (Jun 20, 2011)

Ewwww....


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## Forstride (Jun 20, 2011)

Anyone else get extremely hungry from watching that video, or is it just me?


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## Zerousen (Jun 20, 2011)

TDWP FTW said:
			
		

> Anyone else get extremely hungry from watching that video, or is it just me?


Just had dinner, and I don't even feel like eating at the moment, nor do I want to even go near the bathroom door :/


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## Shockwind (Jun 20, 2011)

Uhh... WTF?


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## Bladexdsl (Jun 20, 2011)

FiReFoX_7 said:
			
		

> Uhh... WTF?


here allow me


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## Sephi (Jun 20, 2011)

I'd eat that shit meat if it tasted fine.


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## Maplemage (Jun 20, 2011)

Me: This tastes like shit!
Chef: Your Good!


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## BlueStar (Jun 20, 2011)

You know you get, like, single malt whisky, or manuka honey that's made from only one type of flower?  If think there'd be a market for a burger made from the shit of a celebrity.  Would you be more inclined to eat it if it was made from 100% Kari Byron waste?


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## Brian117 (Jun 20, 2011)

TDWP FTW said:
			
		

> Anyone else get extremely hungry from watching that video, or is it just me?



Hippos get hungry off anything.


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## Ace Overclocked (Jun 20, 2011)

i can't wait to  eat destroy a rebecca black waste hamburger


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