Mammoth Myoglobin Meat Substitute for Meat-Like Flavor and Iron
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meat substitutes fail to adequately mimic the flavor, color, texture, and nutritional qualities of meat, and may have a detrimental environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A meat substitute or food ingredient comprising animal myoglobin from mammoth, particularly woolly or steppe mammoth, which can be formulated to replicate the aspects, flavor, aroma, and nutritional value of meat, including higher concentrations of volatile compounds and iron content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional meat substitutes are used, then meat consumption is reduced, but the flavor, color, texture, and nutritional qualities do not adequately mimic meat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the meat substitute by incorporating specific myoglobin proteins (from mammoth, cow, or other mammals) and controlling the ratio of myoglobin to other proteins (0.1-10% by weight). This parameter optimization enables the substitute to achieve meat-like color, flavor, and texture while maintaining lower environmental impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The meat substitute uses a composite formulation combining myoglobin protein with other food ingredients in specific ratios. This composite approach creates a product that integrates the beneficial properties of myoglobin (color stability, iron content) with other ingredients to achieve overall quality comparable to traditional meat while reducing environmental harm.
2Quantity of substance
If existing meat substitutes are used, then alternative to meat is provided, but nutritional qualities are not equivalent to meat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the iron content parameter by incorporating myoglobin protein (0.1-10% by weight) which is naturally rich in heme iron. This parameter adjustment enables the meat substitute to achieve nutritional equivalence with traditional meat, particularly in terms of bioavailable iron, while maintaining alternative status to conventional meat consumption.
3Reliability
If myoglobin from mammoth is used, then color and flavor mimicry is improved, but production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses molecular copying by incorporating myoglobin protein sequences that replicate the natural composition of meat. The myoglobin protein itself serves as a template that copies the essential color and flavor characteristics of real meat, eliminating the need for complex formulation processes to achieve similar sensory properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies production by focusing on a single key parameter - the incorporation of myoglobin protein at optimized concentrations (0.1-10% by weight). This parameter-focused approach reduces production complexity compared to attempting to replicate meat through multiple complex ingredients and processing steps.
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein is a meat substitute or food ingredient comprising an animal myoglobin protein, gene construct comprising a nucleic acid encoding said protein, a host cell comprising said gene construct and a method for producing said myoglobin or said meat substitute.