Researchers discover meat 'spaghetti'

Fairfax

NOW MEATIER: An AgResearch discovery means mutton and beef can now be formed into long, spaghetti-like strings.

Relevant offers

Health

PM backs plane flu scare response Whooping cough strikes baby Caring for these kids a job for life Medical errors cost ACC $7.6m Teens mimic depression to get prescription drugs Hospital heads dismiss DHB merger fears Promoter dismisses bike helmet harm study A burning issue: When coffins get too big Plucky mother intent on recovery ACC beneficiary admits he cheated

Picky children may soon be tricked into eating meat, thanks to an accidental discovery by Agresearch scientist Dr Mustafa Farouk.

He was investigating the binding strength of meat proteins when he found mutton or beef can be formed into long, colourful spaghetti-like strings.

"It tastes like meat and it can look like meat but we can actually change the composition of the product quite a lot so we can mask the meaty flavour," Agresearch spokesman Mike North said.

He said many parents found it hard to get children to eat meat but a meaty, protein-saturated "pasta" could be an innovative way of providing more iron and zinc.

Mr North said Agresearch was now looking for a commercial partner to market the meat. "We'd really love to see this product on the supermarket shelves".

The meat spaghetti could be made out of cheap cuts of meat and even dried as novel snacks.

- NZPA