Scientists create 'meaty' rice for eco-friendly protein

What happened?

Korean scientists said Wednesday they've invented a new hybrid food, consisting of beef muscle and fat cells grown inside grains of rice. The experimental "meaty" rice was developed to be an affordable and eco-friendly source of protein.

Who said what?

Integrating animal cells into rice could eventually "ensure a sufficient food supply" for "underdeveloped countries, during war, and in space," said the researchers at South Korea's Yonsei University.

The commentary

The "microbeef," as the researchers call it, "seems to be an early success" nutritionally and maybe taste-wise, too, Ed Cara said at Gizmodo. Its "odor profile" indicates a "rich flavor" with "notes of beef and almond."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

What next?

This hybrid food research "holds promise for the development of healthier and more climate-friendly diets in future," said Neil Ward, an agri-food and climate specialist, in a response statement to the study. But "while data on cost and climate impact look very positive, a critical test is around public appetite for these sorts of lab-developed foods."