Food has officially made its leap into the future, thanks to a team of Dutch scientists who have synthesized an edible hamburger from cattle stem cells, The Associated Press reports.

The lab-grown meat was developed over five years by researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands as part of a 250,000-euro ($330,000) project that aims to end world hunger and halt climate change within the next few decades.

Scientists made the meat from the shoulder muscle cells of two organically raised cows. The animal cells were put into a nutrient solution and slowly developed into small strands of meat. According to researchers, to make a single 5-ounce patty required nearly 20,000 protein strands. Scientists seasoned the lab meat with salt, egg powder and breadcrumbs, then added beet juice and saffron to help the burger look more meat-like. (But the patty still retained a slight yellow tint.)

When two official taste-testers were asked to evaluate the meat’s overall edibility, they said that although the texture was good, the flavor of the patty was less than satisfactory. Both tasters took less than half of the patty they were given.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start,” said Mark Post, MD, PhD, a Dutch scientist who led the team. Post said he ultimately regretted eating the burger without his favorite Gouda cheese on top. The team also said they could easily improve taste by allowing some more of the stem cells to develop into fat cells.

How soon will lab-grown meat appear on grocery store shelves? Don’t set the table yet. Researchers still have to streamline the production and work on the flavor of cultured meats. Scientists predicted the lab burgers would probably be very exclusive and expensive for those other than the rich and famous.

Feeling hungry? Click here to check out some flavorful sandwich ideas that can also pack a powerful nutritional punch.