Scientists in South Korea have created a novel kind of sustainable hybrid grain called “meaty” rice, which they believe has the potential to address both climate change and food emergencies.
The novel grain, which is loaded with cow muscle and fat cells, was developed in a lab by researchers at Yonsei University in Seoul.
The end product is a pink rice that, according to the team, may provide a less expensive and more environmentally friendly beef substitute with a lower carbon impact.
Co-author Park So-hyeon added, “Imagine getting all the nutrients we need from cell-cultured protein rice.”
“Adding cells from livestock can further boost rice’s already high nutrient level,” she stated in a news statement on Wednesday.
To aid the beef cells in adhering to the rice, the grain was covered with fish gelatine. It was thereafter incubated in a petri dish for a maximum of 11 days.
The team reported that the finished product was more hard and brittle than natural grains and had 7% more fat and 8% more protein than conventional rice.
Since the production process eliminates the need to grow and rear animals, which require “a lot of resources and water and releases a lot of greenhouse gas,” Park claimed that the most recent innovation had a substantially smaller carbon footprint.
The press statement states that hybrid rice is predicted to release less than 6.27 kilograms of carbon dioxide for every 100g (3.5 ounces) of protein produced, whereas the production of beef releases eight times more.
In Korea, where hybrid rice is anticipated to cost about $2.23 per kilogram but beef costs about $15, commercialization of this rice would provide consumers a far more affordable option.
In order to improve cell growth and increase the nutritional content of the rice grain, the team intends to refine the method before releasing it into the market.
“Now I see a world of possibilities for this grain-based hybrid food,” Park stated. “It could one day serve as food relief for famine, military ration, or even space food.”
