(166b) Are Plant-Based Meat Alternatives More Sustainable ?

Through the use of synthetic biology and fermentation, microbes are turned into tiny factories that mass produce the desired protein—which is then used as a food ingredient or spun into fiber. In recent years, there has been growing interests in making plant-based alternative meats through synthesizing plant-based heme, a protein originally derived from soy plant roots that gives pseudo-meat flavor, color, and texture. In R&D, scientists have been able to identify fast-growing, high-protein microorganisms to produce large quantities of protein in bioreactors. Impossible Foods claims its plant-based burger with heme protein result in significant reduction in energy requirements, greenhouse gas emissions, and overall environmental impacts. There is a tremendous need to elucidate the potential impacts of large-scale production of plant-based ingredients and evaluate the implications for industrial-scale fermentation and down-stream processes. In this study, we have identified different options for the production and purification of plant-based proteins, developed conceptual processes, and performed life cycle assessment to characterize and potential environmental impacts of large scale engineered heme protein production as a food ingredient.