FOOD
NuCicer is crossing chickpeas with their wild relatives that have retained their genetic diversity to produce a range of new traits and occasional genetic combinations that exceed either parent , including protein content . PHOTO COURTESY OF NUCICER
NuCicer is targeting environmental impacts at the origin of food systems as well . By expanding the geographic regions where chickpeas can grow with varieties that tolerate acidic soils , heat and drought , crops could potentially be grown closer to product manufacturers , shortening the supply chain and reducing the impact of transportation .
As farming practices move toward crop rotation and the use of cover crops to improve soil health , NuCicer aims to develop a chickpea that enhances the legume ’ s natural ability to fix nitrogen in the soil , which is converted into nutrients for crops . That will reduce conventional agriculture ’ s use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer , a contributor to watershed pollution and aquatic die-off .
And the company is breaking through the boundaries of available plant-based proteins that require additives to produce the desired nutritional profile and functional properties , such as flavor , texture and digestibility , by developing chickpeas that have the properties food , beverage and alternative meat manufacturers need in a single chickpea , Kathryn Cook says .
While NuCicer is still in its product and development phase , its timeline to bring products to market depends on how quickly it can form partnerships , assemble a supply chain and scale its resources .
Researching cultivated meat
The speed at which many alternative-protein companies can accelerate may hinge on university research , which Huang says could drive the
40 comstocksmag . com | December 2020