Impossible Foods, the company that’s making plant-based alternatives to meat products, will now be able to sell its Impossible Burger at grocery stores. It has only been able to sell this plant-based meatless patty to fast food chains and restaurants so far. The FDA has finally granted it the requisite approval to begin selling the patty at grocery stores directly to customers.
The FDA approval was held up over an ingredient called soy leghemoglobin. It’s simulated blood, essentially, used to properly nail the meat experience with just plant-based products. Countless taste tests have shown that people find it nearly impossible to differentiate an Impossible Burger from an actual beef patty since it almost perfectly emulated cooked ground beef in both flavor and texture.
The Food and Drug Administration has now approved soy leghemoglobin as safe for being used in uncooked products so customers will now be able to directly purchase the Impossible Burger.
It was previously only available from fast food chains like White Castle, Red Robin, and Burger King. The FDA’s rule change will be effective from September 4th. So Impossible Foods should be able to sell its meatless burger patty to customers through stores thereafter. Many will certainly want to try it out just to see what it feels like.