Soya protein and coconut and sunflower oils are among the ingredients of Impossible Foods’ new plant-based pork.
The US firm’s second plant-based meat substitute was launched on 7 January, following on from the launch of its signature Impossible Burger in 2016.
“First we took on the cow, now we’re taking on the pig,” the company said. “We chose Impossible Pork as our next product because pork is the most popular meat in the world, accounting for about 38% of meat production worldwide. Impossible Pork allows pork-lovers to keep enjoying their favourite ground pork recipes, but in a way that’s better for the planet.”
The ingredient list for Impossible Pork is water, soya protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, natural flavours and 2% or less of: methylcellulose, cultured dextrose, modified food starch, salt, yeast extract, soya leghemoglobin, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), soya protein isolate, zinc gluconate, spice, sodium ascorbate (vitamin C), niacin, thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin B12.
Impossible Foods has not given any details on where or when its new product would be available.
The company was founded in 2011 and following on from its 2016 launch of Impossible Burger, Burger King announced in August 2019 that Impossible Whoppers were officially available across the USA. Impossible Foods also makes a plant-based sausage product that Little Caesars restaurants began testing on its pizzas in May 2019. Last year, the company also made its products available in US grocery stores.
The main ingredient responsible for mimicking the taste and texture of Impossible Foods’ meat substitutes is soya leghemoglobin, a source of heme, which is a key protein responsible for meat’s colour and savoury flavour.
The company extracts leghemoglobin from the roots of soya plants, which is inserted into a genetically engineered form of yeast that is fermented, allowing it to multiply and grow.
To replicate the fat in hamburgers, Impossible Foods uses flecks of coconut fat, which melts in a similar manner to beef fat.
