Genetic engineering is an essential part of our mission and our product. We’ve always embraced the responsible, constructive use of genetic engineering to solve critical environmental, health, safety, and food security problems, and have long advocated for responsible use of this technology in the food system. We wouldn’t be able to make products that rival or surpass their animal counterparts on flavor, texture, nutrition, sustainability, versatility, and accessibility without it.
We use soy leghemoglobin (made via fermentation of genetically engineered yeast) to give Impossible™ Beef Made From Plants their meaty flavour.
To make heme, we take the DNA of soy leghemoglobin, insert it into yeast, and ferment the yeast. By making our heme using genetic engineering, we avoid growing and digging up soy plants to harvest heme (from the root nodules), which would promote erosion and release carbon stored in the soil. The method we’ve adopted enables us to produce heme sustainably at high volume and make a meaty product from plants for millions of people that is delicious, nutritious, and vastly more sustainable than meat from animals.