BURGERS made from beer have moved a step nearer after meat from brewery waste was grown in a lab.
Yeast left over from beer-making can be used to create a scaffold for fake meat, experts at University College London say.
Living animal cells are then attached to the structure to multiply and grow into chunks of mince.
They are said to be just as chewy as the real deal.
Inventors Professor Richard Day and Christian Harrison tested their pint to plate technology on mouse cells and believe they can scale up to beef or pork mince.
Prof Day said: “Brewing yeast is very under-utilised and it is quite often just given away to farmers or put into landfill.
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“People grow cultivated meat on very expensive materials, so if we can use yeast instead that’s good for us and for brewers.”
PhD student Christian added: “A lot of cultivated meat products now tend to be quite mushy.
“By adding cellulose grown on brewery waste, we’re making the texture a bit more like real meat.”
The Food Standards Agency reckons lab-grown meat could be in British shops later this year.
