Heme Flavors photo from Impossible Foods

Chen Zeng, who recently complete his Master of Food Science at Cornell University, wrote the following.

With the advancement of gene-editing technology, we are seeing a lot of companies making animal-like food using yeasts, for example heme proteins by Impossible Foods. Yeasts are usually used in baking, brewing, and wine making and they are not born with the capability of producing animal-like proteins. Therefore, to make these animal-like proteins using yeast, a varied form of fermentation is used, commonly known as “precision fermentation.” It essentially means using gene-editing technology to engineer the yeasts, which enables them to produce animal-like proteins. To design the genetically engineered yeast, the targeted genes carrying the desired protein production trait in animals are selected from a DNA database. Thanks to genome sequencing, scientists were able to compile all the genetic information from animals into understandable codes and store them online. Therefore, no animals have to actually be involved in this process at this point. Yeasts are then inserted with the desired genes (based on animals) so that they produce these animal-like proteins in the same way they produced alcohol and CO2 by consuming sugar. Dairy proteins and egg proteins may be produced in this way. Impossible Foods’ heme proteins are a little different since the heme producing gene they used is isolated from soybean plants instead of animals. Because these proteins made by yeasts are identical molecules compared to the animal ones, they can be applied in producing dessert and dairy products that traditionally use egg and milk as well as in meat analog products to mimic the meaty taste. Although no animals may currently be used in producing these products, it is worth noting that these new ingredients may undergo animal testing to ensure they are safe for human consumption.

(Note from VRG editor: Not everyone will want to use products originally based on animal genes. However, if you do, note that there are many new products being developed in different ways, so you should check each to make sure there are no current animal inputs, as well as look at other aspects to decide if you want to use these products or not.)

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including The Vegetarian Journal/Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.