Basically, the combination of beef and rice can be pretty tasty. However, what South Korean researchers have now prepared will require the courage of even experimental gourmets. A working group led by bioengineer Jinkee Hong from Yonsei University in Seoul grew muscle and fat cells on rice grains in order to improve their nutritional values. The hybrid rice with a high muscle cell content has a smell that is reminiscent of beef and almonds, according to a press release. Rice grains with a high proportion of fat cells smell like cream, butter and coconut oil. There is nothing about the taste of the pink grains in the press release or in the article in the specialist journal Matter in which the team presents its recipe.
The researchers first coated rice grains with fish gelatin and enzymes to stabilize the grain and make its surface inviting for animal cells. They then placed the grains in culture dishes, added fat and muscle stem cells from bovine tissue, and allowed them to sprout for nine to 11 days. The fat content of the rice grains increased by seven percent. The protein content increased by eight percent. Finally, to characterize the hybrid rice under kitchen conditions, the group steamed it. The texture changed from sticky-soft to firm-brittle due to the treatment.
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This is what the rice still looks like in a laboratory environment.
(Photo: Yonsei University)
The entire company aims to produce climate-friendly, nutrient-rich food for many people. As a commercial product, this “rice-based meat” has potential as a sustainable food that guarantees safety from food crises and global warming, the researchers conclude their paper. It has a significantly smaller carbon footprint at a fraction of the price and could one day serve as food aid for famines, as military rations or as space food.
This line of research is promising “for the development of healthier and more climate-friendly diets in the future,” says Neil Ward, professor of rural and regional development at the British University of East Anglia. But the product would ultimately have to pass the test in the supermarket: “While the data on costs and the impact on the climate look very positive, the question of whether this type of food developed in the laboratory will be popular with the public is a critical test.”
There are now numerous companies that are trying to grow meat in retorts – solely from animal cells in nutrient solutions. So far, these products have been very expensive and their ecological balance is not yet convincing. In terms of taste, they are easily comparable to processed meat products such as sausages. So far they have been less suitable as a replacement for pieces of meat. The hybrid rice will not replace steak for those who feel they absolutely have to eat one. For everyone else, the new work from South Korea represents more of a “promising start to a scientific agenda,” says Neil Ward, a major breakthrough with immediate practical consequences for the diet.
Mit Material des Science Media Centre