Just in: A burger made without meat!
What Is A Meatless Burger?
Burgers are widely available throughout restaurants in the US but a new addition is being served up around the country. Meatless burgers are being more commonplace in eateries and are becoming more accessible to consumers.
From the name alone, it is clear these burgers do not have meat in them. But, if there is no meat, how does the meatless burger imitate animal products?
How is the meatless burger made in a way that appeals to restaurant consumers?
The Secret Ingredient is … HEME!
This magical molecule carries oxygen throughout the cells in our bodies.
Just as heme is part of what makes up you and me, it also makes up the traditional hamburgers you know and love. In this case, it's literally “you are what you eat”.
Why Is The Krabby Patty Red?
Pay particular attention to the iron (Fe2+) in the middle of the heme.
Think of iron on a bicycle chain. Over time, it goes through chemical reactions with oxygen to turn red. Similarly, the iron in the middle of the heme structure undergoes a chemical reaction when it is cooked on a skillet. The chemical reaction of the iron in heme is what makes the burger turn red!
“The Secret Formula”
Though there are multiple heme groups, found in both plants and animals, they are still similar in structure and function.
One of these heme groups, leghemoglobin, is extracted from soybean or legume roots. Companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat use leghemoglobin as the heme group in meatless burgers. These companies then add plant proteins, fats, and other nutrients to the burgers.
Grill these meatless burgers and they'll look exactly like a hamburger!
The Swirls And Folds Have A Purpose!
As previously mentioned, there are multiple types of heme groups. To the left, we can see hemoglobin, the heme group found in blood and beef patties. To the right is leghemoglobin, the heme group found in plants and the meatless burger.
The way a protein folds determines its structure and purpose. All of these crazy protein folds contribute to that red, meaty look and taste of a burger!
No Burgers Without The Heme Structure!
If the structures and folds of the proteins were to change, they would lose the burger attributes we love so much!
Small Organisms Also Play A Role
Impossible Foods uses yeast in the production of meatless burgers, specifically pichia pastoris (seen left), a species of yeast used for protein production.
Yeast is used because it is capable of producing soybean leghemoglobin (seen right).
What Do Meatless Burgers And Beer Have In Common?
Soybean DNA is injected into genetically engineered yeast. This yeast ferments over time and produces the leghemoglobin that is used to produce the Impossible Burger.
Just like how breweries use yeast fermentation to produce beer, a similar process is used for heme production.
Now we know that yeast has more than one use!
Is A Meatless Burger Better Than A Beef Patty?
… Good News
Good news for those high cholesterol meat lovers, the plant-based alternative is lower in cholesterol content.
You’re also saving the environment! Less water, land, and energy is needed for one meatless burger and less greenhouse gas emissions are produced.
Is A Meatless Burger Better Than A Beef Patty?
… Bad news
If you’re trying to bulk up muscle, an Impossible Burger won’t be the best option, with only 19 grams of protein in a 4-ounce serving compared to 30 grams in traditional beef burgers.
It has ~4x more sodium than beef which may contribute to high blood pressure.
Due to the use of legumes in constructing meatless burgers, these burgers contain nut allergens. This can be a surprise for those allergic to nuts who may not suspect any issue with burgers normally.
The Impossible Burger And The Beyond Meat Burger
Impossible Foods creates meatless burgers, know as the “Impossible Burger,” on a large scale. Impossible Foods extracts DNA from heme-producing soybean plants and inserts the DNA into genetically engineered yeast which produces leghemoglobin through fermentation.
Beyond Meat is another large scale producer of meatless burgers. They use the pea protein and beets for the red coloring. Generally, people find the Impossible Burger more tasty!
Which Companies Are Serving Meatless Burgers?
So next time you grill, give the meatless burger a try!
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