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By growing animal cells in rice grains, scientists create hybrid foods.

Scientists cultured cow muscle and fat cells in rice grains to create a hybrid food. Credit: Yonsei University

Scientists in South Korea have developed a new kind of sustainable hybrid food – a “fleshy” rice that they say could help solve the food crisis and climate change.

The new grain was grown in a lab by researchers at Seoul’s Yonsei University and contains beef muscle and .

The result is a pink rice that the team says could offer a cheaper and more environmentally sustainable meat alternative and leave a smaller carbon footprint.

“Imagine getting all the nutrients we need from cell cultured protein rice,” said Park Soo-Hyun, co-author of the study.

“Rice already has a high nutrient level, but adding cattle cells can increase it even more,” he said in a press release Wednesday. When this research was published. Case Journal

The grains were coated in fish gelatin to help the beef cells coat the rice and then left to culture. For 11 days.

The team said the final product had 8 percent more protein and 7 percent more fat than regular rice, and was stronger and more brittle than the natural grain.

The latest creation leaves a significantly smaller carbon footprint because the production method eliminates the need to increase carbon. That “uses a lot of resources and water and emits a lot of greenhouse gases,” Park said.

By growing animal cells in rice grains, scientists create hybrid foods.

Growing animal muscle and fat cells inside rice grains. Credit: Yonsei University

For every 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of protein produced, hybrid rice is estimated to emit less than 6.27 kilograms of carbon dioxide, while Releases eight times more, according to the press release.

If commercialized, it would provide a much cheaper option for consumers in Korea, where hybrid rice costs around $2.23 per kg, compared to beef around $15.

The team plans to further develop the process before the rice goes to market to better grow the cells in the rice grain for greater nutritional value.

“Now I see a world of possibilities for this grain-based hybrid food,” Park said.

“It could one day serve as food relief for famine, military rations, or even space food.”

More information:
Rice grains integrated with animal cells: a shortcut to sustainable food systems, Case (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2024.01.015. www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(24)00016-X

© 2024 AFP

Reference: South Korean scientists develop sustainable ‘meaty rice’ (2024, February 18) Retrieved February 18, 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-02-south-korean-scientists-sustainable-meaty.html has been

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