‘Easy to digest’ fungi genetically engineered to be packed with protein

By Stephen Beech

Frankenstein fungi that tastes similar to meat and is easy to digest has been created.

The genetically engineered food is also protein packed and sustainable, say scientists.

Chinese researchers used gene-editing technology called CRISPR to increase a fungus’s production efficiency and cut its related environmental impact by up to 61% - all without adding any foreign DNA.

They say the genetically tweaked fungus tastes like meat and is easier to digest than its naturally occurring counterpart.

Study corresponding author Professor Xiao Liu, of Jiangnan University, said: “There is a popular demand for better and more sustainable protein for food.

“We successfully made a fungus not only more nutritious but also more environmentally friendly by tweaking its genes.”

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