South Korean scientists are now making 'rice with beef cells' to revolutionise how the world eats
South Korean scientists are developing a novel rice variety infused with protein cells, aiming to provide a more ethical source of protein.
Named "meaty rice," this innovative type of rice has a slight buttery aroma, resembles regular rice but with a pink hue.
The scientists have confirmed that no animals were harmed in the process, as the rice is embedded with beef muscle and fat cell culture.
Hong from Seoul's Yonsei University stated, «Using cultured meat, we can obtain animal protein without the slaughter of livestock.»
Hong, who specializes in organoids and biomedical sciences, chose rice for this research since it is already a primary source of protein for many people in Asia.
How is Meaty Rice Made?
The creation process begins with a regular rice grain coated in fish gelatin to enhance adherence. Each grain is then individually injected with beef cells and cultured in a petri dish for up to 11 days.
After injection, the beef cells grow uniformly inside the rice, making the grain an ideal structure.
This «meaty» rice contains eight percent more protein and seven percent more fat than typical rice.
Hong's team is still working on scaling up the process, with hopes to have the product approved as emergency relief food in two African nations.
He said, «For those who are limited to… just one meal a day, a slight increase in (protein content), even by just a few percent, becomes incredibly important.»
Ethical Questions
Currently, South Korea has not approved any cultivated meat for consumption but
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