We're a Lot Scared and a Little Intrigued by This New Jell-O-Looking Meat Alternative

Alright, we realize that this isn’t exactly Disney food news, but when we spotted an article about a new lab-grown meat there was no way we could just ignore it.

©Jinkee Hong/Yonsei University

In fact, once we saw the picture, we were invested. Also a bit scared…scratch that, a lot scared. But we needed to find out more about this mysterious pink Jell-O meat alternative.

According to CNN, this new lab-grown meat alternative is being developed by researchers in South Korea at Yonsei University. Lab-grown meat has been an emerging topic that hopes to provide similar nutritional benefits and sensory experiences as normal meat, in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Meat substitutes like Impossible Burgers and Beyond Beef have been available for years, but cultured meat is beginning to get the spotlight now.

©Jinkee Hong/Yonsei University

Many researchers have been hard at work trying to develop lab-grown meat that not only looks and feels like the real thing, but also has the same taste. To be honest, the current state of this particular lab-grown meat doesn’t scream appetizing meal with juicy meat, but we know that this is still a work in progress. Previous developments were getting closer to the actual look and feel of meat, but apparently they were missing the taste mark.

©Jinkee Hong/Yonsei University

However, researchers at Yonsei University think they may have discovered the secret! While the science behind it sounds very technical, essentially the researchers included a switchable flavor compound to form a functional scaffold. A functional scaffold is the basic composition of cultured meat, and contains a flavor group and two binding groups that stay in the scaffold until it is heated. This lab-grown meat will release meaty flavors once it has been cooked for five minutes at 302 degrees Fahrenheit. However, one big problem is that this cultured meat is not yet edible.

©Jinkee Hong/Yonsei University

The researchers have been using an electronic nose that helps them to test the aromas of the lab-grown meat, however, this meat alternative has not been tasted by a human yet. This particular research used non-food grade substances as the researchers were looking into the science behind the taste and not the commercialization of the process. Which means that we won’t be trying any of their lab-grown meat currently. However, they do believe that this strategy could be used with food grade substances. We are getting one step closer to eating lab-grown meat that actually tastes like meat.

While we won’t be eating any of this Jell-O meat alternative anytime soon, it is interesting to see the progress being made in creating meat alternatives that are better for the environment. Stay tuned to DFB for more food news!

While we are talking about food that scares us a bit, check out this Disney World hot dog that also scared us a bit!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

What do you think about this lab-grown meat? Let us know in the comments!