#japanese

#japanese

Scientists Create the World’s First 3D Printed Wagyu Beef Complete with Marbling Using Stem CellsWagyu meat is famous for its high intramuscular fat content, more commonly referred to as excellent “marbling” or sashi. This gives the meat its rich flavor and its distinctive texture. However, the process of raising cattle and producing these in-demand cuts of beef is deemed unsustainable due to the disproportionate amount of climate emissions they produce. By utilizing stem cells from Japanese Wagyu cows, scientists from Osaka University have been able to 3D print synthetic meat complete with marbling that closely resembles the real thing. The team used two types of stem cells called bovine satellite cells and adipose-derived stem cells, which under the right conditions, can be manipulated to match the types of cells needed to produce the meat. Individual fibers including muscle, fat, or blood vessels were fabricated from these cells using bioprinting. The fibers were then arranged in 3D, following the histological structure, to reproduce the structure of the real Wagyu meat, which was finally sliced perpendicularly, in a similar way to the traditional Japanese candy Kintaro-ame.“By improving this technology, it will be possible to not only reproduce complex meat structures, such as the beautiful sashi of Wagyu beef, but to also make subtle adjustments to the fat and muscle components,” senior author Michiya Matsusaki says. This would make it possible for consumers to customize the contents of their meat in line with health considerations as well as their desired fat content and taste.Image: Science Blog #meat #alternative #sustainability #wagyu #beef #japanese #bioprinting #stemcells

Japanese Parents are Sending Their Loved Ones Rice in Celebration of Their Newborn Children The pandemic has halted face-to-face interactions for most, if not all of us. People may only see each other virtually and celebrations must be done remotely. This has been hard for a lot of people, especially in cultures that value special occasions and hold festive celebrations—such as the Japanese when it comes to childbirth and newborn babies.In lieu of warm hugs and in-person celebrations, Japanese parents have started sending bags of rice to their relatives who are unable to visit due to the pandemic. The bags weigh the same as the newborn’s weight and they come in a variety of styles. Some are designed like a newborn wrapped in a blanket with the baby’s face attached to the front. This allows the relatives to feel as though they are holding and hugging the baby themselves.According to the owner of Kome no Zoto Yoshimiya rice shop, Naruo Ono, “I first had the idea about 14 years ago when my own son was born and I was thinking about what I could do for relatives who lived far away and couldn’t come and see him. So we decided to make bags of rice that were the same weight and shape as the baby, so relatives could hold them and feel the cuteness.” 