Unlocking the Power of Rubisco: A Revolutionary Protein in the Food System

In the complex world of plant biochemistry, one protein stands out with the unique potential to truly transform the human food system. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, better known as “Rubisco”, is one of the most abundant proteins on the planet as it plays a central role in photosynthesis in plant life. So abundant that farmers, food product developers, researchers, and entrepreneurs are beginning to explore the broad applications Rubisco could have across a broken food system. But the challenge remains doing so at scale.

Rubisco & Photosynthesis

Discovered in the 1940s by Nobel laureate Melvin Calvin, Calvin  had earlier laid the foundation for our understanding of photosynthesis. Found to play a critical role in the production of glucose, the primary source of energy for plants and the basis of the entire food web, Rubisco is hailed by some as the "gatekeeper" of carbon entry into the biosphere. Rubisco's significance in sustaining all life on Earth was undeniable. 

Benefits of Rubisco to Agriculture and to Food Science:

Beyond its fundamental role in photosynthesis, science is revealing other key benefits of Rubisco across the broader food system. The food industry currently lacks a protein that offers all of the functional benefits of animal protein, such as creatine, casein, whey and egg, while minimizing negative impacts like land conversion, greenhouse emissions, water impacts, ethics, etc…. That said, Rubisco comes the closest.

Functional Protein Applications in Food 

I get asked about Rubisco for food applications almost every day, and for good reason. According to a review in the journal Food Chemistry in September of this year, Rubisco has a balanced amino acid profile containing all the essential amino acids in its composition, is a non-allergenic protein, and has “good digestibility.” Perhaps most importantly, its functional benefits are profound: 

• High solubility

• High water/fat retention

• Great emulsifying capacity

• Good gelling capacity

• Great foaming capacity

• No flavor

These benefits compete with or surpass any other plant protein OR animal protein.

“Based on all its well-studied advantages, it seems clear that RuBisCO may be regarded as the ideal protein for both human and animal consumption. The potential applications of this protein for the food industry are vast.” - Journal of Food Chemistry, September, 2023.

Food System Applications

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives:

Rubisco’s ability to mimic the texture and functionality of traditional meat proteins makes it an attractive candidate for formulating meat analogs with a sustainable and plant-centric focus.

Bakery and Confectionery:

Rubisco can be incorporated into baked and confectionery formulations to improve texture, moisture retention, and shelf life. This opens avenues for creating healthier and sustainable baked goods.

Dairy Substitutes:

The dairy industry is witnessing a surge in demand for plant-based alternatives. Rubisco protein, with its versatile functional properties, can be used in the development of dairy substitutes like cheeses, yogurts, and ice creams, providing a sustainable option for consumers.

In addition to direct food product application benefits, Rubisco offers agricultural benefits that are truel game-changers for agricultural economics and climate change, such as:

Increased Crop Yields:

Research efforts are underway to enhance the efficiency of Rubisco, aiming to improve photosynthetic rates in crops. By optimizing this key enzyme, scientists hope to increase crop yields and address the growing demand for food in the face of a rising global population.

Climate Change Mitigation:

Rubisco's connection to carbon fixation makes it a potential player in climate change mitigation. Enhanced photosynthesis in plants could contribute to capturing and sequestering more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping combat the effects of climate change.

Nutrient Content Enhancement:

Manipulating Rubisco expression in plants may offer a pathway to enhance nutrient content. Researchers are exploring ways to increase the levels of essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, in crops, potentially improving the nutritional quality of food.

Diversification of Food Sources:

Harnessing Rubisco's potential could open up opportunities for new and unconventional sources of food. Plants with enhanced Rubisco activity might thrive in diverse environmental conditions, expanding the range of cultivable crops and reducing dependence on a few staple foods.

Challenges and Considerations:

While the potential benefits of Rubisco are promising, there are challenges and considerations that researchers and the food industry must address. Perhaps the most glaring challenge is Extraction and Purification for Food Applications. Despite its natural abundance,

“Its potential use in food products has been limited due to the difficulty of efficiently extracting and purifying it on a large scale in a cost-effective form that is safe for human consumption, similar to other typical proteins,” states the Food Chemistry review.

“Whilst there are several methods described in the industry, most of these are based on fractionation that yield highly impure RuBisCO, whereas more complex methods typically hinder RuBisCO production at a reasonable price.” 

Despite this, many companies have taken on the challenge of scaling extraction and commercialization of Rubisco from Lemna (“duckweed”), agricultural crops such as alfalfa, as well as other crops and plant sources. It is still too soon to know what the future holds for scaling this miraculous protein, but if the historic arc of technological innovation is an indicator, the challenges will no doubt be overcome sooner than later. 

In addition to the challenge of scaling up, other concerns such as genetic modification potential, the true viability of global adoption (which requires overcoming regulatory, economic, and cultural barriers), and additional economic challenges will be addressed if Rubisco grows in popularity.

Future Prospects

As technology advances and our understanding of plant biochemistry deepens, the potential applications of Rubisco in the food system continue to expand. The integration of Rubisco in food systems and food science, as well as Rubisco-enhanced crops into sustainable agricultural practices may hold the key to addressing food security challenges and mitigating the impact of climate change on global food production.