‘Beef rice’ with 8pc more protein and a ‘rich, almondy flavour’ in development

Beef rice – made from rice and cattle stem cells – developed by Korean scientists as nutritious hybrid food

Rice grains containing beef grown from stem cells have been created by scientists as a cheap, nutritious hybrid food that could cut the need for livestock farming.

The flesh-coloured rice may not look appetising, but it contains eight per cent more protein and more nutrients than normal rice.

When scientists at Yonsei University in South Korea cooked it, they found it had a beefy, almondy scent, similar to broth and a “rich flavour”.

“I didn’t expect the cells to grow so well in the rice,” said first author Sohyeon Park.

“Now I see a world of possibilities for this grain-based hybrid food. It could one day serve as food relief for famine, military rations, or even space food.”

Many labs are growing cultured meat from stem cells, but the process requires a scaffold to guide and support the cells as they form into three-dimensional tissue.

Rice grains were injected with cattle stem cells and left to culture for 9 to 11 days

The Korean scientists hypothesised that because rice grains are porous, and have organised crystalline internal structures, they could act as a natural scaffold, with the stem cells populating the internal nooks and crannies.

Certain elements found in rice, such as selenium, also nourish and promote the growth of mammal cells, making rice an ideal platform.

The team coated the rice in fish gelatin, which helps the stem cells to latch on more easily, then seeded the grains with either cow muscle or fat stem cells. After less than two weeks, the muscle or fat tissue had grown inside the cavities of the rice, creating a new hybrid food.

After steaming the rice, chemical analysis showed the muscle rice had beefy aromas, while the fat rice had scents of cream, butter and coconut oil.

Both versions were firmer and more brittle than the soft and sticky texture of normal rice but the researchers say it could provide a nutritious and flavoursome food option that could be used in numerous dishes.

Rice grains already contain carbohydrates, fats and proteins as well as minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, gluteline and folic acid.

Beef contains many nutrients

Beef is also an excellent source of protein and contains many nutrients including b-vitamins, zinc and iron that support a healthy lifestyle.

“Imagine obtaining all the nutrients we need from cell-cultured protein rice,” added Mr Park.

“Rice already has a high nutrient level, but adding cells from livestock can further boost it.

“We usually obtain the protein we need from livestock, but livestock production consumes a lot of resources and water and releases a lot of greenhouse gas.

The artificial beef rice was shown to have a significantly smaller carbon footprint at a fraction of the price and is likely to cost around £1.80 per kg compared to beef at around £12 per kg.

The team is hoping to move to commercialising the rice in the near future.

The research was published in the journal Matter.

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