Scientists have successfully produced myoglobin, an animal protein that gives meat much of its colour and flavour, inside tobacco and lettuce plants.
The research could help develop more sustainable ways of producing food without raising animals.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science, is the first to show that plants can produce stable myoglobin, according to the researchers.
What is myoglobin?
Myoglobin is a protein naturally found in the muscles of animals. It stores oxygen and helps give meat its red colour. During cooking, it also contributes to the taste and aroma that many people associate with meat.
Because of these properties, scientists have been looking for ways to produce myoglobin without relying on farmed animals.
In the new study, researchers inserted the gene for porcine (pig) myoglobin into tobacco and lettuce plants. The plants were then able to produce the protein while continuing to grow.
The team found that the plants produced correctly folded myoglobin, although not all of the protein contained enough heme, the iron-containing molecule needed for myoglobin to function fully. The researchers say increasing heme availability will be an important step in future research.
Why does it matter?
Many plant-based meat products use ingredients such as beetroot, soy or other natural colourings to recreate the appearance of meat.
Producing real animal proteins inside plants could help improve the taste, texture and colour of future meat alternatives while reducing the need to produce these proteins using animals.
The researchers say the work provides a foundation for developing plant-made animal proteins for food applications. However, they also stress that more research is needed before the technology can be used commercially.
Scientists around the world are exploring different ways to produce proteins with a lower environmental impact, including precision fermentation, cultivated meat and plant-based foods.
The authors say their findings show that plants could one day become another way to produce animal proteins more sustainably.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theanimalreader.com
