SEOUL: South Korean researchers have grown beef cells in rice grains in what they say is a major step towards achieving a sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly source of protein that could replace farmed cattle for meat, Reuters reports.
Professor Jinkee Hong of Yonsei University in Seoul, who led the research published in the journal Matter this month, said the "beef rice" is the first product of its kind. It uses grain particles as the base for cultivating animal muscle and fat cells.
In the research, rice grains were treated with enzymes to create an optimal environment for cell growth, then infused with bovine cells that are cultivated to achieve the final hybrid product, which resembles a pinkish grain of rice.
The Yonsei team is not the first to work on lab-grown meat products. Companies around the world have launched cultivated meat; one of the latest involves plant-based chicken and eel cultivated from a soy base, marketed in Singapore.
Hong's team said rice has an advantage in terms of safety relative to soy or nuts because fewer people are allergic to it.
"If successfully developed into food products, cultured beef rice could serve as a sustainable protein source, particularly in environments where traditional livestock farming is impractical," he said.
Priced at about $2 per kilogramme (2.2 lbs) and with a far smaller carbon footprint than traditional beef products, cultured beef rice could compete on grocery shelves, Hong said.
Hong said challenges remain from a technical standpoint and in terms of winning over customers with flavour and texture.
Keum Dong-kyu, who recently sampled the rice beef at a Korean barbecue restaurant in Seoul, said the idea is innovative.
"But honestly, I don't think it can replicate the juiciness or texture of real beef," Keum said.
Christian Krammel, who is visiting from Germany, was more positive.
"Now, it does not compare to beef yet, but as I see the research is in early stages, I would say it's a great way forward," Krammel said.
韓國科學家發現「牛肉米」作為未來蛋白質的來源
首爾：韓國研究人員在米粒中培養了牛肉細胞，他們認為這是朝著實現可持續、負擔得起且環境友好的蛋白質來源邁出的重要一步，該蛋白質來源可以取代養殖牛作為肉類。
首爾延世大學的 Jinkee Hong 教授領導了本月在《Matter》雜誌上發表的研究，他表示，「牛肉飯」是同類產品中的第一個。 它以穀物顆粒為基礎，培養動物肌肉和脂肪細胞。
在這項研究中，米粒經過酵素處理，為細胞生長創造最佳環境，然後注入經過培養的牛細胞，以獲得最終的雜交產品，類似於粉紅色的米粒。
延世大學團隊並不是第一個研究實驗室培育肉品的團隊。 世界各地的公司都推出了人造肉； 最新的一項涉及以大豆為原料培育的植物雞肉和鰻魚，並在新加坡銷售。
洪的團隊表示，相對於大豆或堅果，米在安全性方面具有優勢，因為對米過敏的人較少。
「如果成功開發成食品，培養牛肉米可以作為可持續的蛋白質來源，特別是在傳統畜牧業不切實際的環境中，」他說。
牛肉飯比傳統米飯含有約 8% 的蛋白質和 7% 的脂肪。 Hong 指出，該蛋白質 18% 來自動物，使其成為必需胺基酸的豐富來源。
Hong 表示，養殖牛肉米的價格約為每公斤 2 美元（2.2 磅），且碳足跡遠小於傳統牛肉產品，因此可以在雜貨店貨架上競爭。
Hong 表示，從技術角度以及以風味和質地贏得顧客方面仍然存在挑戰。
最近在首爾一家韓國燒烤店品嚐了米牛肉的 Keum Dong-kyu 表示，這個想法很創新。
「但說實話，我認為它無法複製真正牛肉的多汁性或質地，」科姆說。
來自德國的克里斯蒂安·克拉梅爾 (Christian Krammel) 的態度更為積極。
「現在，它還無法與牛肉相比，但據我所知，這項研究還處於早期階段，我想說這是一個很好的前進方向，」克拉梅爾說。
Source: Reuter
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