In 2014, Impossible Foods received its first GRAS regarding the general use of
soy leghemoglobin as an ingredient.
We've conducted rigorous testing, including a stringent rat feeding study that found no adverse effects even at consumption levels of
leghemoglobin extraordinarily higher than a human would ever consume.
«We add the soy
leghemoglobin gene to a yeast strain, and grow the yeast via fermentation.
But Halla's PowerPoint slides didn't mention that the Impossible Burger's key ingredient is a genetically engineered protein called
soy leghemoglobin or «heme.»
Regarding the short - term animal feeding study, Konrad wrote: «Our rat - feeding study was comprehensive and statistically valid; a panel of experts reviewed the study and unanimously agreed that soy
leghemoglobin is safe.»
By using a compound called heme found in soy
leghemoglobin, the company was able to create a plant - based burger patty that not only tastes like meat, but also bleeds like meat.
With this update, the goal is to prove high consumption of soy
leghemoglobin is safe and has a very low risk of allergenicity.
Impossible Foods discovered a scalable, affordable way to make heme without animals: the company engineers and ferments yeast to produce a heme protein naturally found in plants, called soy
leghemoglobin.
Then we isolate
the leghemoglobin, or heme, from the yeast.