Genetically altered mold could be the future of food, providing tasty, healthy and environmentally friendly snacks.

New research suggests that modifying genes in fungi could create cruelty-free products that are healthy for consumers and healthier for the environment.

Scientists at the Biosciences Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are exploring the many possibilities for new flavors and textures that can be made by modifying the genes already present in fungi.

For the study, published in Nature Communications, the team looked at a multicellular fungus called Aspergillus oryzae, also known as koji mold, that has been used in East Asia to ferment starches into sake, soy sauce, and miso for centuries.

They then used their gene editing system to make modifications that elevated the mold as a food source.

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Professor Jay Keasling from UC Berkeley said: “By unlocking koji mold through the development of these tools, we are unlocking the potential of a huge new group of hosts that we can use to make foods, valuable chemicals, energy-dense biofuels, and medicines.

“It’s a thrilling new avenue for biomanufacturing.”

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