Hybrid beef rice, elaborated using cow muscle and fat stem cells, is set on a table at the Reuters studio in Seoul, South Korea, March 8, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

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.

"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," Hong said.

Priced at about 2 USD per kilogram and with a far smaller carbon footprint than traditional beef products, cultured beef rice could compete on grocery shelves, he added.

But he said challenges remain from a technical standpoint and in terms of winning over customers with flavour and texture.