Science at Cal – Fungi and Seaweed: Changing the way we think about meat

At this month’s Midday Science Cafe, we’ll learn about two new meat alternatives made from foods we already know and love: seaweed and mushrooms! First course: seaweed. Dr. Amanda Stiles from Berkeley Lab is researching ways to extract the protein from seaweeds and incorporate it into delicious new foods. The highly-digestible, amino-acid rich protein concentrate UMARO Foods has developed enhances the color, texture, and flavor of plant-based foods. Second course: filamentous fungi! These organisms include mushrooms, which have formed part of the human diet for thousands of years. UC Berkeley’s Dr. Vayu Maini Rekdal, scientist and chef, will talk about his work between laboratories and Michelin-star restaurants studying and engineering these fungi for sustainably produced foods. Both scientists are working toward the common goal of solving sustainability issues and producing a new generation of meat alternatives. Let’s eat!