Recent attention around human biltong in 2025 stems from the publicity surrounding the “Human Biltong Kiosk” in Lephalale, South Africa. Despite the alarming name, this biltong stand is not selling meat made from humans. The confusion arises from the owners’ surname, Human (pronounced “he-mun”), which doubles as the brand name. Pieter and Annetjie Human, the couple who own the kiosk, have operated it for 25 years and note that both locals and tourists are often surprised or amused by the name. The product sold is traditional South African biltong, with no human ingredients involved[1].
Elsewhere, there are no credible recent reports or evidence indicating the production or sale of biltong made from human flesh. The discussion about alternative proteins and lab-grown meats continues globally, but it is limited to animal protein cultivation and does not extend to human-derived products[2].
The Human Biltong Kiosk story highlights the potential for linguistic misunderstandings in multicultural societies and emphasizes that the shock factor comes purely from a surname, not from any actual human-based product[1].