KFC is set to make history. This week, the company revealed plans to launch the world's first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets. The project would be part of their "restaurant of the future" concept.

In a recently published statement, the famous fast-food company announced it was working with the 3D Bioprinting Solutions laboratory located in Moscow, Russia. The research team aims to develop bioprinting technology that can produce chicken meat by using animal cells and plant material.

The world's first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets would taste and feel like nuggets made from genuine animal meat. Additionally, it would be more environmentally friendly to produce and would not cause harm to animals.

KFC plans to maintain their ingredients and spices while using bioprinting to achieve the taste their consumers know and love.

Will it be vegetarian?

KFC's bioprinting will still use animal materials. Nuggets produced by the bioprinting process would not be vegetarian. However, the fast-food giant offered a vegetarian option at several locations.

Last year, KFC became the first fast-food chain in the United States to serve plant-based chicken products from Beyond Meat. The healthier and environmentally friendly product is offered in the forms of nuggets and boneless wings.

The fast-food chain plans to roll out the plant-based products to different branches this coming summer. More than 50 locations, including those found in Los Angeles and San Diego, could get a taste of KFC's finger linkin' good chicken.

KFC said that the bioprinted nuggets were friendlier to the environment than nuggets produced using chicken meat. They claimed a study by the American Environmental Science and Technology Journal showed growing meat from cells would decrease greenhouse gas emissions. It also consumed less energy compared to traditional farming methods. Bioprinting would also allow KFC to remove various additives used in farming.

Yusef Khesuani, the co-founder of 3D Bioprinting Solutions, touted their 3D printing technologies, which is also widely acknowledged in medicine in recent years, The Verge reports.

Khesuani said he hopes their company's partnership with KFC could help launch cell-based meat products on the market.

How are 3D bioprinted products made?

3D bioprinting is a slow and difficult procedure that has seen some promising developments within the medical community. The University of California at Berkeley researchers are aiming to print human organs ready for transplantation.

The team launched the project last year. Initially, the biological materials deteriorated before the 3D printing was completed. The researchers adapted a method where the biological materials would be frozen as it was printed.

The 3D bioprinted nuggets will undergo its final testing in Moscow this coming fall, KFC said. Their announcement did not mention how its partnership with the Russian company differed from other bioprinting initiatives. The fast-food chain has yet to announce a date when the printed nuggets would be available for KFC customers to try.

Other fast-food chains have also turned to plant-based meat as a way to bring in new customers during the pandemic.

Want to read more? Check these out: