Life Cycle Assessment of Insulin-like Growth factor for Cultivated Meat Production Through Plant Molecular Farming: LCA Foods 2024 abstract

Purpose :The research of growth factors (GFs) production has been dominated by the use of precision fermentation (PF) method, albeit with limited economic success. A promising alternative strategy is this study, the use of plant molecular farming (pMF) method, with the aid of genetically engineered barley plant as host to express recombinant protein gene for the production of growth factors of interest at a low cost with high scalability. The goal of this study was to assess the environmental performance of insulin-like growth factorIGF-1 LR3 production via vertical and open field farming situated in the Iceland and Canada.

Methods: Attributional life cycle assessment (aLCA) was conducted on a bench-scale production using pMF method to coproduce IGF-1, straw, barley bran(β-D-glucan) and bioactive soluble phenolic compounds with a functional unit of 1 mg of IGF-1. A total of 2 scenarios were modelled, with consistency in product management methodology (economic and mass allocation) and applied two different energy mix (Iceland and Manitoba Canada electricity mixes). Sensitivity analysis was also conducted, evaluating the systems response to changes in input applied. LCA calculations were performed using OpenLCA (version 2.1.1) software, with foreground system using inventory data from the literature and start-ups biotech company, as they represent novel processes not readily available in ecoinvent. Environmental impacts were quantified under ReCiPe methodology at the midpoint level, from the ‘Heirarchist’ (H) perspective and Cumulative energy demand (CED).

Results and discussion: A comparison between pMF and PF of IGF-1 production showed that pMF method performed best when considering global warming (between 26-27% better), Freshwater eutrophication(between 86-87.9% better), fine particulate matter (68-69.3% better), Terrestrial acidification (between 25- 26% better) impact categories, except for land use, water use and stratospheric ozone depletion had higher values due to inorganic fertilizer use on field cultivation and hydroponic systems of the vertical farming system. The sensitivity analysis suggests that the conclusions drawn are partially robust as in the majority of 100 Monte Carlo runs the initial results are confirmed.

Conclusions: it is suggested that IGF-1 produced through pMF is an alternative protein source of comparatively low environmental impact that should play a role in the future IGF-1 transition, in particular when further process improvements can be implemented and more renewable or waste energy sources will be employed.