(216e) Sustainable Design and Life Cycle Assessment of Plant-Based Heme Protein

Synthetic biology has the potential to solve some of the world's most pressing problems. Originally used to produce medicines, biofuels, and platform chemicals, synthetic biology is increasingly being applied to the production of food and fiber. 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 (the key ingredient of Impossible Burger), 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. It was claimed that such meat alternative products can result in a meaningful 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 of plant-based proteins via fermentation, developed conceptual processes, and performed complete profitability analysis as well as life cycle assessment to characterize the production cost and potential environmental impacts of large scale engineered heme protein production as a food ingredient.