Chinese genetics try to create perfect beef
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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For the chefs and gourmets, the ideal steak is similar to the Holy Grail. To their endless search, Chinese scientists have joined to work on the creation of a genetically modified breed of cows, whose meat should have excellent taste qualities.
An additional gene, by which scientists "enriched" cows, increases the fat content in the muscles of animals. Thanks to this, the Chinese hope to get "marble" pieces of beef, tender, like the famous Japanese beef vagyu.
Scientists managed to grow the first two modified calves, which still need to reach maturity, after which they will go to the slaughter. Then it will be possible to evaluate how successful the Chinese experiment was.
Professor Ni Mingong, who runs the Beijing University project, says that if the experiment is successful, the world's first breed of transgenic cows will be obtained, the meat of which will contain the protein that binds the fatty acids.
"The high content of fat in beef is one of the main characteristics of quality beef," the professor notes. "As a result of further research, it will be possible to achieve the ideal marble structure of livestock meat and thus provide an alternative to imported premium meat."
This is not the first attempt to improve the quality of meat or milk cows with the help of genetic engineering. For example, this year, Chinese scientists said that they were able to withdraw cows whose milk can be consumed by people suffering from intolerance to lactose. In addition, they said, this milk is enriched with useful fats, which people get mainly from fish.
Last year, scientists from China successfully introduced human genes to two hundred cows, so that their milk matched the qualities of human (mother's) milk. At the moment, the most expensive beef in the world is Japanese fugue beef, famous for its marble structure and gorgeous delicate taste. Transgenic beef with similar characteristics, over which the Chinese work, will be much cheaper than natural beef fugue. However, even if the experiment is successful, on the shelves of shops this miracle beef will appear no sooner than a few years.
As in any matter relating to gene modification, the opinions of scientists, like the rest of society, regarding the creation of a new transgenic beef diverge. For example, Dr. Ellen Wallace, director of the Genewatch group of companies, argues that European consumers will no doubt be concerned that an increasing number of animals suffer from gene experiments. "Traditional selection and other technologies can help improve the quality of meat. It is not necessary to use gene technologies to get a high-quality product, "she said.
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