Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods • Hacker News Board

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#651

Post by hkyeti » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 3:12 PM UTC

moosey wrote: post #201

SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strawberry flavoured cereal and synthetic meats are miles apart - if we're talking lab grown meat that's amazing - it's tender meat that has no ethical issues. If you're talking the impossible burger, that's a burger that again has no ethical issues and a minor compromise in taste. Nutritionally it's basically equivalent to a normal burger. Strawberry flavoured cereal is nothing like a strawberry, and can't possibly…

There can be ethical issues surrounding lab grown meat, mostly around how much energy it takes to produce lab grown meat, and the nature of that energy production. My guess is that beyond will soon be cheaper than regular meat, but that the requirements for creating lab grown are simply going to be too great to be able to compete economically or ecologically. I'm going to be very happy to be proven wrong someday, but…

The lifecycle analysis I've studied showed it better than animal meat on every aspect including energy, do you have a link to show otherwise?

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#652

Post by hkyeti » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 3:15 PM UTC

cogman10 wrote: post #234

sethbannon wrote: post #207

Every modern society, looking back fifty years, condemns behavior once considered normal (male-only voting, interracial marriage bans, jailing gays, etc). I'm convinced industrial animal agriculture will be one of the things today's society is condemned for, fifty years from now.

I don't think that will happen until we get both cheaper and better animal product substitutes. Vegan substitutes usually fail at both which means they are niche mid-upper class foods.

The cost curve is rapidly decreasing. Within 5 years, plant-based meats cheaper and tastier than meat. The food world is about to be turned upside down (for the better)

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

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Post by scottie_m » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 3:42 PM UTC

jdietrich wrote: post #262

scottie_m wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn’t those same people want to avoid a place like Burger King in general? They’d be supporting the business of one of the largest consumers of beef in the world.

There's value in supporting ethical businesses. There's also value in encouraging less-ethical businesses to be more ethical. I can't speak to the situation in the US, but here in the UK, veggie burgers in fast food restaurants represented a fairly significant tipping point. In the late 80s and early 90s, it could be genuinely inconvenient to be vegetarian. Asking "do you have a vegetarian option?" in a restaurant of…

I’m not clear that this makes Burger King any more ethical, or less unethical. You wouldn’t praise a prolific serial killer for letting the odd victim go. Besides, fast food has a lot to answer for besides animal welfare.

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#654

Post by johnchristopher » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 3:53 PM UTC

hkyeti wrote: post #650

johnchristopher wrote: post #598

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks. Can fish flesh be done as well?

Yes, the gardein fishless fillet has convinced several of my omnivore friends they are eating real fish. Same I've heard for the ocean hugger raw tuna sushi etc

That's exciting, I wish I could try it. So it means we can have sushis ?

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#655

Post by hkyeti » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 3:57 PM UTC

johnchristopher wrote: post #654

hkyeti wrote: post #650

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, the gardein fishless fillet has convinced several of my omnivore friends they are eating real fish. Same I've heard for the ocean hugger raw tuna sushi etc

That's exciting, I wish I could try it. So it means we can have sushis ?

Yep! I'm an angel investor in them from outside of the U.S. so I haven't tried it myself but friends who have say it's great: https://oceanhuggerfoods.com/store-locator

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#656

Post by ergothus » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 5:31 PM UTC

jfengel wrote: post #646

ergothus wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are correct on all points, in my experience. That said, those of us that DO miss some level of meat simulacra (great phrase!) will appreciate this. I lost the taste for actual red meat over 20 years ago, but the texture is still something that has few parallels. Between the hardcore beef aficionados wanting nothing to do with "fake meat" and the hardcore vegetarians/vegans happy to consume veggies I find bland or…

Beyond Meat products are at a lot of stores, including Safeway and Target. In mine they're located over by the fresh meat. The web site has a locator: https://www.beyondmeat.com/where-to-find/ It does a remarkably good job of giving the texture of a mediocre burger. Not a great burger by any means, but it might fill a niche that you don't get from the Morningstar-type burgers.

...the last time I checked they were only available at restaurants, so this was very happy news for me. Thanks!

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#657

Post by ArrayList » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 6:18 PM UTC

kevinmchugh wrote: post #350

jandrese wrote: post #107

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Mayo and cheese might be skipped if the person is trying to be more vegetarian. I've always found mayo to be unnecessary and kind of gross on burgers anyway. It's only useful if your meat is lousy or you've overcooked it really badly.

Many high-quality burgers have mayo by default. Au cheval/small cheval come to mind. Mayo is useful for adding flavors, and can protect the lower bun from water-based liquid penetration that would weaken the structural integrity.

> water-based liquid penetration that would weaken the structural integrity.

What are you, a Burger Architect?

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

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Post by ArrayList » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 6:24 PM UTC

astura wrote: post #258

alpaca128 wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of interest, what's the reasoning behind a strict separation of the two? I understand it in the case of gluten free products because that can really have health implications, but when you are vegan for ethical reasons it shouldn't make a difference, right? But I'd say this is great news either way. I like meat, but when there's a way to get the same taste and texture without the bad consequences for animals…

Religious reasons, for one. Some vegetarians are just very grossed out by it (I'm one of them). I generally look the other way at very minor cross contamination, its probably going to happen once in a while, especially if I don't know about it, but if I taste meat juices in my food I completely lose my appetite. I once bit into sausage that found its way into my pizza (I suspect it fell into the cheese) and I couldn'…

> Some vegetarians are just very grossed out by it (I'm one of them).

I find the fact that you eat cheese, dairy and eggs disgusting too. Why haven't you gone vegan yet?

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#659

Post by johnchristopher » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 6:45 PM UTC

hkyeti wrote: post #655

johnchristopher wrote: post #654

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's exciting, I wish I could try it. So it means we can have sushis ?

Yep! I'm an angel investor in them from outside of the U.S. so I haven't tried it myself but friends who have say it's great: https://oceanhuggerfoods.com/store-locator

I am outside the US as well :).

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#660

Post by henvic » Wed, Apr 03, 2019, 7:09 PM UTC

scott_s wrote: post #174

The Impossible Burger is the best veggie burger I've ever had. I was a vegetarian for 10 years, and have now been a pescatarian for 8 years. It has been 18 years since I have had a proper cheeseburger, and since then I have had many thousands of veggie burgers. Cheeseburgers are probably my favorite food, and I haven't had one in 18 years. If someone told me that the world would end tomorrow, I would go out and eat a…

I had the Impossible Burger in a few places.

About six months ago I had it in a vegan place near Cape Canaveral, and I was in disbelief it wasn't a meat burger. I asked the waiter twice.

It's been 15+ years since I last ate meat (and even more, red meat), and I hate the taste.

For anyone vegan or vegetarian who hates the taste of meat and is afraid to try it, I recommend giving a try even though it's supposed to taste like meat as it might feel different. I believe the preparation makes it very different because all other times (10+?) I had it (both 1.0 and 2.0), I enjoyed (specially at Umami Burger in Anaheim). The only reason I haven't had it more is that I don't live in the U.S., and I prefer the Portobello mushroom patty at Umami.