Scientists are developing a promising hybrid carbohydrate called "beef rice" that could revolutionize the protein in our diets.
Led by professor Jinkee Hong at Yonsei University in South Korea, researchers covered grains of rice with fish gelatin and seeded them with fat stem cells and skeletal muscle material, according to the Guardian. The scientists then cultured the rice concoction in the laboratory for nine to 11 days and discovered meat and fat throughout the substance.
This new hybrid rice contains 8% more protein and 7% more fat than traditional rice and is more brittle than its traditional counterparts.
Hong himself ate the rice numerous times.
"When cooked, the rice retains its traditional appearance but carries a unique blend of aromas, including a slight nuttiness and umami that are characteristic of meat," he told the Guardian. "While it does not exactly replicate the taste of beef, it offers a pleasant and novel flavour experience. We tried it with various accompaniments and it pairs well with a range of dishes."
Neil Ward, a professor of rural and regional development at the University of East Anglia, said hybrid rice and other synthetic foods may hold the key to minimizing climate change.
"This line of research holds promise for the development of healthier and more climate-friendly diets in future," he said, adding that the rice could provide animal-level nutrients to eaters while lowering greenhouse gas pollution eight times over — at less than 20% of the cost of meat.
Other scientists wrote that the new protein rice could make it "possible to ensure a sufficient food supply," thus creating "a new complete meal," according to Matter.
This rice is just one of many exciting synthetic protein developments that could revolutionize food as we know it. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved Upside Foods' "slaughter-free" meat that will allow for meals to use a lab-grown chicken replacement. Meanwhile, Steakholder Foods is developing "bio-printed" beef on an industrial scale, and an Australian company even generated a wooly mammoth meatball.
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