Impossible Burger: A Meat Revelation

The fast-food industry, which emerged in the American South in 1921, prides itself on a convenience unparalleled by the more typical sit-down dining industry. Over the past century, this on-the-go phenomenon has been absorbed into the subconscious of much of the American population, but behind its ease and affordability, fast food is also alarmingly unhealthy.

Burger King, the crown jewel of fast food burgers, recently announced its investment in a new type of burger—a meatless one. The daring alternative is the plant-based Impossible Burger, which replicates the flavor and texture of a classic burger, but without the beef. The plant-based meat industry is currently being dominated by both the Impossible Foods company, which has based its business model on licensing its product to restaurants, and Beyond Meat, a company that embraces a more traditional retail model. While the Impossible Burger has been popularized by its acceptance into a reputable fast food chain, the Beyond Meat Burger has yet to venture into the lucrative fast food industry. A popular consensus amongst food critics is that the Impossible Burger is the beginning of the end of the beef industry, but it will certainly take time for consumers to adjust to seeing it on the menu. Regardless, the Impossible Burger is an innovation that will redefine the environmental and health standards of the entire fast-food industry.

The production of the Impossible Burger represents a more extensive transition into an environmentally aware market. A recent assessment by the Swiss sustainability group Quantis concluded that the carbon footprint of the Impossible Burger is 89 percent less than that of a beef burger. This reduction in environmental impact is part of the appeal of these new burgers: large-scale production centers can reduce their footprint, and consumers can still be satisfied with their product. Considering that it takes nearly 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, the reduction of water usage in the production of the Impossible Burger, especially at the scale of the fast food industry, is monumental. “We are serious in our mission to provide sustainable alternatives,” the CEO of Impossible Foods said in an interview with NBC. “And the first step is to stop relying on the livestock industry.” It is this willingness of producers to mitigate their environmental impact that has earned the Impossible Burger a favorable response from the public. In an insight survey conducted by an independent research firm, many people expressed that they would be willing to consume plant-based meat because they “perceive these options as better for the environment.”

The popularization of the Impossible Burger is also indicative of an acceptance of vegan culture. Companies that have previously ignored meat substitutes are now dedicating time and money toward researching ethical alternatives. Until recently, vegan foods were a niche market, and for average consumers, it was a Herculean task to make such a stringent leap in their eating habits. Though the prospect of going vegan is still daunting, the race among companies to create products that will dominate the vegan market makes alternatives more readily available and the shift to a vegan diet more feasible overall. Since developing the Impossible Burger, Impossible Foods has published a line of recipes that can be easily replicated at home using the ground meat in Impossible Burgers and may branch out into producing other plantless meat products, specifically vegan pork and chicken. “The market is continuing to grow as a result of the high-surge of demand,” Danielle Bronner of CNN Business argued in an article on the growth of plant-based foods. “And it is certainly one of the hottest sectors of the food business.” The unprecedented popularity and success of the Impossible Burger suggests that even omnivores are experimenting with it, and the appeal has a lot to do with the perception of its health benefits.

Derived from plants, the Impossible Burger is void of the animal hormones and antibiotics that often seep into the final product of standard fastfood burgers. In a company release, Impossible Foods claimed that the level of herbicide in their patties is 1,000 times less than the acceptable amount, making the product unlikely to cause food-borne illnesses. Additionally, the Impossible Burger boasts a high protein, vitamin, and mineral content and receives this protein from potatoes and soy, which do not have cholesterol. However, in a comparison of the Impossible Burger to a standard beef burger, the calories and overall fat content are similar, which means that this burger will not single-handedly terminate all of the health-concerns of the fast-food industry. Impossible Burgers’ meat-like flavor is provided by an iron-containing compound called heme, which is physically extracted from the roots and stems of plants, making it more readily accessible than animal heme, which comes solely from animal hemoglobin. In general, these burgers are simple, deliver high-quantities of fiber, and have been proven to contain no alarming or toxic additives, and thus there is no detriment to making a switch.

The Impossible Burger is certainly not for everyone, and for current vegetarians, the hyper-realistic taste might take some getting used to. But it is a step in the right direction: a step toward an industry that addresses environmental concerns not only rhetorically but also by investing in them. Especially to an industry that will potentially face a meat shortage in the coming decades, meat alternatives are necessary. Yes, it will inevitably be challenging for omnivores to alter their diets for good, but maybe the next time you see the Impossible Burger on the menu, you can start by giving it a try.