Impossible Foods wants its meatless burger ingredient approved as a color additive

US health regulators have filed a petition from Impossible Foods to expand the approved uses of soy leghemoglobin. This ingredient, which makes plant-based meat look like real meat, could now be used in a wider range of meat, poultry, and fish alternatives.

For years, plant-based meat companies have focused on making their products taste and feel like animal meat. This petition is about making them look more like it, too. If approved, it could make plant-based options more appealing to consumers who expect a certain appearance from their food.