First Lab-Grown Hamburger Eaten In London

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The world's first artificial beef burger has been cooked and eaten at a news conference in London.

The burger, cultured from cow stem cells in a laboratory in the Netherlands, was tasted by two volunteers on August 5.

One of them, U.S.-based food author Josh Schonwald, said that "the mouthfeel is like meat," adding, "What was consistently different was flavor."

Researchers have spent several years developing the artificial meat.

They said the burger tasted in London had cost more than $332,000 to produce.

Scientists believe lab-grown meat could offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to raising livestock.

According to an Oxford University study, raising livestock contributes 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses some 30 percent of the world's ice-free land.

Based on reporting by Reuters, BBC, and Bloomberg.com