b'SENSE, NONSENSE AND SCIENCEBY: JOE SCHWARCZTHE SCIENCE OF PLANT-BASED MEAT SUBSTITUTESI ple, can be found in the roots of clover ve always had a special respect for peas. Thats because of the giant roleor soybeans and became a candidate for they played in the advancement of sci- imparting meat flavour and colour to a ence. It was through the crossbreeding ofplant-based burger. The problem was that peas with different characteristics suchthe compound could not be extracted as colour, plant height and pod shapefromthissourceonalargescale. that Austrian friar Gregor Mendel laidWhat makes cookedHowever, isolating the gene that codes the foundations of the modern sciencemeat look, smell for the formation of leghaemoglobin and of genetics. In experiments conductedintroducing it into the genome of a yeast between 1856 and 1863, he demonstratedand taste the waycell was possible. When this yeast is com-how traits were passed on from one gen- bined with appropriate nutrients it duti-eration to another through invisible fac- that it does? fully grinds out leghaemoglobin which tors that were later identified as genes.can be isolated and purified. Needless to I dont know whether Mendel ate hissay, this annoys anti-GMO activists but of peas, but I do know that many a parentcourse leghaemoglobin is the same sub-has urged their offspring to eat the peasstance whether it is produced in soybeans that accompanied the meat on their plateor genetically modified yeast cells. It is a with an eye towards increasing theirnon-issue. vegetable consumption. Today, they mayhouse gas emissions, energy demandsThe use of leghaemoglobin for fla-be encouraging them to eat their peasand inefficient use of land as problems.vour and colour was a breakthrough, but instead of the meat. Pea protein hasHe decided that the best way to reduceit still took about five years of experi-become a hot item as the basic ingredi- the environmental cost of raising animalsmentation to come up with a burger that ent in plant-based burgers, the sales ofwas to offer a plant-based product thathad satisfactory texture, mouthfeel and which are skyrocketing due to concernscould compete with meat in look, smellflavour. Eventually, soy protein, coco-about the health and environmental con- and taste. nut oil, sunflower oil, potato protein, sequences of animal agriculture. The first question that had to bemethylcellulose, yeast extract, dextrose, Beyond Meat, an American com- answered was what makes cooked meatmodified starch, salt and various vita-pany that produces plant-based meat sub- look, smell and taste the way that it does.mins joined with leghaemoglobin. In this stitutes, made a huge splash in financialA tough question because meat is ancase, environmental concerns are more markets when its stock tripled in threeimmense collage of numerous proteins,relevant than nutrition since in terms of days after its initial offering. That waspeptides, amino acids, fats, vitamins,saturated fat, the Impossible Burger con-followed by soaring sales in supermarketsminerals, steroids, amines, sugars andtains about the same amount (8 grams) and fast food restaurants that offerednucleotides that engage in various reac- as a hamburger but contains five times as Beyond Meat burgers made with pea pro- tions when exposed to heat. Cooked meatmuch sodium! It would be hard to claim tein. Other ingredients include mung beanis therefore even more complex, beingthat the Impossible Burger is healthier, protein, canola oil, coconut oil, potatocomposed of hundreds and hundreds ofbut it is more environmentally friendly. starch, methylcellulose, lemon juice, lec- compounds! Using sophisticated instru- Same goes for the Beyond Meat burger.ithin and pomegranate fruit powder.mental techniques Dr. Brown and hisPeople talk of health and environ-Beyond Meats major competitorteam analysed the volatile compoundsment, but the decision about what to is the Impossible Burger, produced byreleased when meat was cooked and theireat often comes down to taste. I havent Impossible Foods, a company foundedattention was drawn to haem, a break- had the chance to taste the Impossible in 2011 by Dr. Patrick Brown who is nodown product of the oxygen-carryingBurger, but I did let A&Ws Beyond Meat scientific slouch. He has both a medicalmolecule haemoglobin that was presentburger loose on my taste buds. And they degree and a PhD in biochemistry andin abundance. Brown suspected that itdidnt rebel. However, the rest of the is the recipient of a number of prestig- was a major player in the flavour game. body was not so keen on the 1,100 mg of ious awards. In 2010 Brown left StanfordThanks to his research background,sodium, most of which comes from the University where he had been a pro- Dr. Brown knew that some haemoglo- bun and condiments. The patty itself has fessor having become convinced thatbin analogues could be found in plants.only 390 mg, so next time maybe just the raising animals to produce food was anLeghaemoglobin (from legume andpatty wrapped in lettuce? Will have to see environmental disaster citing green- the Greek haemo for blood) for exam- how the taste buds react. 40IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'