China Develops Lab-Grown Rice Made from Pork and Chicken Cells

Scientists have combined cell-cultured meat with rice to create new nutritious foods that are cooked with the aroma of both rice and meat. The China Comprehensive Meat Food Research Center and the Beijing Academy of Food Science have developed chicken rice and pork rice, where pork and chicken cells are transplanted directly into rice and other crops. These foods appear like regular rice but after cooking, they have the combined aroma of rice and meat.

Through this new technology, scientists can control the content of protein, amino acids, fiber, carbohydrates, and other nutrients in the food to tailor it to specific dietary needs. The key point of this technology is using rice as a microbial substrate, which is a natural and edible alternative to expensive synthetic substrates previously used in cell-cultured meat production.

The production process involves pre-treating rice varieties to create a suitable environment for cell growth. For example, pork rice is produced by growing separate batches of pork fat and muscle cells on modified rice grains, which are then combined to create the final product. Professors and researchers in the field see this development as a remarkable leap in cell-based meat research.

Fitness trainer Yao Xiangwei finds the concept of high protein, fiber, and healthy carbohydrates in the new food intriguing, but acknowledges that price and public acceptance may be factors that determine its success in the market. Despite potential challenges, the research team is optimistic about mass-producing the new rice variety in the near future.