© You TubeThe grossest potential solution to the global food crisis: poop meat.
But researchers in Japan say they have done just that. They have synthesized meat from proteins found in human waste, according to news reports.
While the concept of chowing down on steak derived from poop may not exactly be appetizing, we wondered: is this meat safe?
In theory, yes, experts say. But the meat must be cooked, which will kill any noxious pathogens before you eat it.
"In the food safety world we say, 'don't eat poop,'" said Douglas Powell, a professor of food safety at Kansas State University. "But if you're going to, make sure it's cooked."
The Japanese researchers isolated proteins from bacteria in sewage. The poop-meat concoction is prepared by extracting the basic elements of food - protein, carbohydrates and fats - and recombining them.
