Researchers from Yonsei University in South Korea say their experimental product offers a “unique blend of flavors” and a pleasant taste. They believe the so-called “beef rice” could quickly find fans among foodies and eco-conscious consumers.
How “rice-beef” was grown — and why it matters
A team led by Professor Jinky Hong coated traditional rice grains with fish gelatin, then seeded them with stem cells from skeletal muscle and fat. That was the first stage of growing the hybrid in a lab.
They cultivated the rice–muscle–fat–gelatin mix for 9 to 11 days. After that, the researchers steamed the product and tasted it.
The team says they produced a nutritious, flavorful dish that also fits a current trend: it has a much lower carbon footprint than the multi-step process of conventional meat production. The researchers add that it could be a more accessible source of protein than beef, according to The Guardian.
“During cooking, the rice retains its traditional appearance but acquires a unique combination of flavors,” Professor Hong said. The “beef rice” carries a subtle nutty note and an umami flavor. (Umami is often described as the “fifth taste” — the savory flavor associated with proteins and meat.)
While the hybrid doesn’t exactly replicate the taste of beef, it offers a pleasant, novel flavor, the professor added. “We tried it with various toppings, and it turned out to pair well with different dishes,” the lead researcher noted.
Rice is primarily a carbohydrate with smaller amounts of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, the scientists wrote in the journal Matter. By integrating animal cells into rice, the team says they created a “new complete food” that could help bolster the planet’s food supply.
Pros and cons of “rice-beef”
According to the scientists, the hybrid rice is more delicate and fragile than traditional soft, sticky rice, but it contains 8% more protein and 7% more fat. The team also reported that lab-grown rice with a high concentration of muscle cells smelled like beef and almonds, while rice with more animal fat smelled like cream, butter, and coconut oil.
The researchers calculate that the new rice demonstrates a way to make food production greener. While producing 100 grams of beef protein emits about 50 kilograms of carbon dioxide, producing 100 grams of protein from the hybrid rice emits less than 6.27 kilograms of CO2. The lab-grown “beef rice” is also relatively cheap for consumers, costing around $2.23 per kilogram.
The researchers believe hybrid rice could help replenish food supplies in regions facing hunger. They also suggest it may be suitable for astronauts and military rations.
But the innovation has drawn mixed reactions from independent experts. Professor Hanna Tuomisto, who studies sustainable food systems at the University of Helsinki, doubts the product will be a serious alternative to traditional rice with meat. She says the final product contained only 4.8 grams of cultivated beef cells per kilogram of rice, meaning the meat made up just 0.5% while rice constituted 99.5%. “To replace meat, the protein percentage in the final product needs to be higher,” she says.
