
After years of research, scientists have come up with the result that lab-grown meats could be nutritionally engineered to convey a broad assortment of health benefits.
From lab-grown chicken to cricket-derived protein, these innovative alternatives offer hope for a planet struggling with the environmental and ethical impacts of industrial agriculture.
Korean scientists have added a new recipe to the list—cultured beef rice—by growing animal muscle and fat cells inside rice grains.
The method, presented on February 14 in the journal Matter, results in a nutritious and flavourful hybrid food that, once commercialized, could offer a more affordable protein alternative with a smaller carbon footprint.
“Rice already has a high nutrient level, but adding cells from livestock can further boost it.”
To create the food, this team of South Korean researchers first coat the rice in fish gelatin to help the meat cells latch on better. Then, they insert cow muscle and fat stem cells into the rice grains, which are left to culture in a petri dish.
First author Sohyeon Park, who conducted the study alongside corresponding author Jinkee Hong at Yonsei University, South Korea, said in a summary of the findings.
“I didn’t expect the cells to grow so well in the rice. Now I see a world of possibilities for this grain-based hybrid food. It could one day serve as food relief for famine, military ration, or even space food.”
The rice — which is coloured pink — could offer a cheaper, more environmentally sustainable source of protein with a much lower carbon footprint than beef, the researchers say.
“Animals have microscopic “biological scaffolds” that help cells grow to form tissue and organs, and rice grains have a porous, organized structure that mimics this scaffolding, as well as molecules that further nourish these cells”, the study said.
The meat cells then grow on the surface of the rice grain and inside the grain itself. After about 9 to 11 days, you get the final product — which the study describes as “reminiscent of microbeef sushi and has a different texture, nutritional profile, and flavour than traditional rice grains.”
The beef rice is firmer and more brittle than the typically sticky, soft texture of regular rice — and is higher in protein and fat, the study found.
“A novel food ingredient that can overcome humanity’s food crisis has been created,” the study declared, adding that new solutions were critical in overcoming “rising health concerns, infectious disease risks, climate change, and resource scarcity.”
Livestock systems are responsible for 6.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere each year. That’s around 12% of all human-caused emissions, UN data shows. Beef production is the most carbon-intensive.
The group of Korean researchers say their product may have an advantage; it uses safe, accessible, and affordable ingredients, making the final product sustainable to produce and easy on the wallet, according to the study.
Neil Ward, an agri-food and climate specialist and professor at the University of East Anglia, who was not involved in the study, said the data looked “very positive,” with the potential for helping develop “healthier and more climate-friendly diets in the future.”
The beef rice won’t land in restaurants quite yet — the team plans to further develop the process so the cells can grow better in the rice grain and produce more nutritional value. They also hope this can improve the texture and taste of the rice, Park said.
Vitamin A deficiency is particularly a problem in children in Africa, with this development, It could one day serve as food relief for famine, military ration, or even space food.
To date, only a few countries around the world have approved golden rice for public consumption, which is a genetically engineered strain of rice by adding several beta-carotene genes.
Scientists have continued to experiment with ways of genetically manipulating fruits and vegetables to amplify their nutritional content.”
But Park has high hopes. One day, it might even be rolled out across supermarkets in ready-to-eat kits or meal packages, she said.
Humanity still has a huge appetite for meat despite its huge cost, but cows produce horns, hooves, hair, and other inedible elements that affect the environment. That is why scientists have been trying to grow only muscle tissue in the laboratory for many years.
With this ground-breaking feat, will Africans be ready for lab-grown rice beef? Only time will tell.
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