CRISPR-Enhanced Fungus Offers Sustainable Meat Alternative with Improved Nutrition

Researchers have successfully used CRISPR gene editing technology to create a fungi strain that is highly efficient, more nutritious, and significantly more sustainable than its natural counterpart.

The fungus Fusarium venenatum already stands out for its meat-like flavor and texture, leading to its approval for food use in several countries.

This breakthrough, published in the journal Trends in Biotechnology, addresses the need for better, more environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional animal agriculture, which accounts for about 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions.