South Korean Scientists Develop ‘Beef Rice’
South Korean researchers have combined cow muscle cells with rice grains. They say the new rice is an important step towards a sustainable, less costly source of protein. The researchers suggested it could replace the meat of farmed cattle, or beef.
Professor Jinkee Hong of Yonsei University led the research. Hong said the “beef rice” is the first product of its kind. The results of the research were recently published in Matter.
The beef rice uses grain particles as the base for growing animal muscle and fat cells.
The researchers treated rice grains with chemicals called enzymes to create an environment for cell growth. They added cells from cattle to create the final product, which is a combination, or hybrid, of the two. The result looks like a grain of rice with a pink colour.
The beef rice contains around eight percent more protein and seven percent more fat than normal rice. Hong noted the protein is 18 percent animal based. That makes it a good source of important nutrients needed by humans called essential amino acids.
Hyun Young Yi and Daewoung Kim | Associated Press
Read full article Share on twitter