“Rotten meals” provided by scientists to save our planet

Scientists say that laboratory-grown meat is an “effective way” to save the environment, and they are now moving forward with developing modern methods, most notably “asking people to eat mold.”

Scientists at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, are using genetic engineering to create proteins and meat substitutes from genes found in koji mold, already used to ferment soy sauce.

They have succeeded in bioengineering the mold and turning it into a fried patty that resembles a "appetizing-looking burger," but this is just an important starting point, as the team hopes to transform the mold to control the flavor and texture of the product.

Chef-turned-bioengineer Vaio Hill Maini works with scientists to create delicious, flavorful food sources that he claims are healthier for consumers and the environment.

Hill-Maine analyzed the fungus, called Aspergillus oryzae (koji mold), using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to enhance heme, a molecule found in animal tissue that gives meat its color and flavour. It is also used to make lab-grown burgers, which gives them their flavour.

The team increased the antioxidant called ergothioneine, which is linked to cardiovascular health benefits and is used in medications to treat liver damage, Alzheimer's disease and other conditions.

The mold, which had previously been white, then turned red and could be shaped into a burger-like patty by removing excess water and grinding up the fungus.

“These organisms (mold fungi) have been used for centuries to produce food, and they are incredibly efficient at converting carbon into a wide range of complex molecules, including many molecules that are almost "It is impossible to produce them using a classical host such as E. coli."

He continued: "By unleashing Koji mold, we are unleashing the potential of a huge new set of hosts, which we can use to make foods, valuable chemicals, energy-dense biofuels and medicines. It is an exciting new avenue for biomanufacturing."

It is noteworthy that the resulting mold is not yet ready for consumption, and the next steps will work to alter genes to change the texture of the mold by transforming the cell fibers so that they become longer and give the consumer “an experience more similar to consuming meat.”

But this will not be enough to meet the high standards of many consumers, which will prompt scientists to look into increasing fatty acids, or fat composition, to add nutrition to the food source.