KFC is launching the development of innovative bioprinting technology in a bid to create chicken meat.
The fast food chain is working with the 3D Bioprinting Solutions research laboratory to come up with a 'restaurant of the future'.
The idea of crafting the 'meat of the future' arose among partners in response to the growing popularity of a healthy lifestyle and nutrition, the annual increase in demand for alternatives to traditional meat and the need to develop more environmentally friendly methods of food production.
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The project aims to create the world's first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets.
They will be as close as possible in both taste and appearance to the original KFC product, while being more environmentally friendly to produce than ordinary meat.
According to a KFC press release, 3D Bioprinting Solutions is developing additive bioprinting technology using chicken cells and plant material, allowing it to reproduce the taste and texture of chicken meat almost without involving animals in the process.
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KFC will provide its partner with all of the necessary ingredients, such as breading and spices, to achieve the signature KFC taste. At the moment, there are no other methods available on the market that could allow the creation of such complex products from animal cells.
Raisa Polyakova, general manager of KFC Russia & CIS, said: "At KFC, we are closely monitoring all of the latest trends and innovations and doing our best to keep up with the times by introducing advanced technologies to our restaurant networks.
"Crafted meat products are the next step in the development of our 'restaurant of the future' concept. Our experiment in testing 3D bioprinting technology to create chicken products can also help address several looming global problems.
"We are glad to contribute to its development and are working to make it available to thousands of people in Russia and, if possible, around the world."
Yusef Khesuani, co-founder and managing partner of 3D Bioprinting Solutions, added: "3D bioprinting technologies, initially widely recognized in medicine, are nowadays gaining popularity in producing foods such as meat.
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"In the future, the rapid development of such technologies will allow us to make 3D-printed meat products more accessible and we are hoping that the technology created as a result of our cooperation with KFC will help accelerate the launch of cell-based meat products on the market."
Featured Image Credit: PA