What if we told you that there is a protein that nourishes just as well, or even better, than meat? And all of that without destroying forests, using animal meat, or even increasing polluting emissions? Well, it now exists, and it is a genetic edit using CRISPR, applied to a fairly common fungus, that has made it possible to turn it into a sustainable source of protein. Could this be the way we stop eating animal protein across the planet?
It is estimated that 60 million tons of beef are produced every year and that livestock farming generates around 14.5% of global CO2 emissions, 7.1 gigatons. An absolute madness, and this trend is not going down. There are more and more of us, fewer resources, and they do not grow at the same pace as we do, so the system cannot keep up. Livestock weighs too heavily on the climate and alternatives are needed so we can still feed ourselves properly. And they have found one in a fungus.
A fungus with superpowers
This fungus has been used for decades to produce microprotein. It has a good texture, feels similar to meat, and has almost no flavor, which is actually an advantage.
CRISPR
This fungus was not easy to digest, but a genetic edit has adjusted its genes to make it more nutritious, more efficient, and much easier to digest. No DNA has been added and you are not going to be eating a mutant food. The strain has simply been improved so it keeps that meat like texture and can be better used by our bodies.
Can it outperform meat?
Yes, because it is even more nutritious than some animal proteins, especially in terms of amino acids. By thinning the fungal cell wall, the human body can absorb its nutrients more easily, with less digestive effort and greater benefit.
Eco friendly
Another incredible thing about this fungus is that it can reduce gas emissions by up to 61%. If we consider the scale of livestock impact, using CRISPR would require much less water and only a quarter of the land currently used for animals. So yes, this protein would be completely eco friendly.
Fewer resources, more food
That is right, you would eat more with less. If you wonder how this is possible, it is because it produces the same amount of biomass in less time and with fewer sugars. So we are talking about lower energy use, lower costs, and greater potential for large scale production.
The food of the future
Many people think CRISPR is artificial or created from scratch in laboratories, but it is not. It is a common fungus that has been adjusted to make it more efficient, just like we do with technology.
Hunger, climate issues, and lack of resources could be addressed with this fungus, and that is very good news for communities that suffer from all three problems.
An alternative in the middle of a climate crisis
Livestock emits and consumes a huge amount of resources and also takes up a lot of space. Changing our entire diet is not easy, but replacing part of our meat consumption with this type of fungal protein is. It would not depend on climate or large land areas and, as we said before, it would be a real and logical alternative in the most vulnerable places.
Are we ready to eat like this?
Curiously, it is not as strange as it sounds. There are millions of vegan people around the world who already feed themselves with fungi to replace meat. And unlike ultra processed food, here we are talking about a natural organism with a clear and controlled process.
From the lab to the plate
CRISPR offers a concrete and scalable solution. It could expand at an industrial level and lay the foundations of a new diet. Will we be able to bring it to our table? And you, would you eat CRISPR?